


God's Song

by Central_Ice_Victuuri



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-03-06 05:21:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 100
Words: 127,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18844462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Central_Ice_Victuuri/pseuds/Central_Ice_Victuuri
Summary: It is said that humans only reveal 5% of their DNA. The person you perceive yourself to be and the person others judge you for is determined by this 5%. No one can know what is in the hidden 95%.Put simply, it would be as if our parents gave us a total of 100 cards when they gave us life – of which only 5 can be used. They don’t know which cards they’ll be handing down, but that’s not the real issue. The bigger problem is that of the 100 random cards, we can’t even choose which of the 5 we get to use. We have to pick them with our eyes closed.Now imagine each of these cards represents a different trait – maybe an attractive face, an intelligent mind, a great body, a handicap. A lucky person who might have been fated with a prized card would be able to use it as a weapon to speed through life with considerable ease. And then there are also the ill-fated who end up with a torn or useless card. Maybe all five cards are duds. But that is what we have to use to our advantage or disadvantage until we die.This is a story about a boy, the “cards” he is dealt, and how he uses them to build a music empire.





	1. God's Song

Volume 1 / Prologue

TL: LightNovelCafe

It is said that humans only reveal 5% of their DNA. The person you perceive yourself to be and the person others judge you for is determined by this 5%. No one can know what is in the hidden 95%.

Put simply, it would be as if our parents gave us a total of 100 cards when they gave us life – of which only 5 can be used. They don’t know which cards they’ll be handing down, but that’s not the real issue. The bigger problem is that of the 100 random cards, we can’t even choose which of the 5 we get to use. We have to pick them with our eyes closed.

Now imagine each of these cards represents a different trait – maybe an attractive face, an intelligent mind, a great body, a handicap. A lucky person who might have been fated with a prized card would be able to use it as a weapon to speed through life with considerable ease. And then there are also the ill-fated who end up with a torn or useless card. Maybe all five cards are duds. But that is what we have to use to our advantage or disadvantage until we die.

 

The dictionary definition of absolute pitch is as goes.

Absolute Pitch: The ability to hear any musical note and, without a reference tone, recognize its pitch.

Absolute pitch is said to be a natural gift – something you are born with. But then there are some say that it is possible to acquire it with enough training. That it is more of a talent than a gift. But imagine being blessed with the gift of absolute pitch and enhancing an already impressive feat with another other talent. How extraordinary would that be?

The ability to extract the pitch from all sounds heard by the ear – the revving of a motorcycle exhaust, a frog croaking in the countryside on a cool summer night, the rattling of a subway into a platform, the sound of raindrops on the roof of a car – or to hear them as a beautiful melody in and of itself is indeed a gift from God.

 

But this is true only if that person realizes that the sounds he hears is music and not merely noise.

Of the 10 contemporary musicians chosen by New York’s Metropolitan Museum to represent the 20th century, there is a South Korean who is a native of Sancheong and captain of Tongyoung – Mr. Yoon Yi Sang. He was born with such a gift.

He has said that the tranquil landscape and sea of Tongyoung he constantly yearned for are nestled in his music. A German couple who so loved Mr. Yoon Yi Sang’s music said they traveled all the way to Tongyoung in order to feel his music on a deeper level.

And that German couple further said the moment they saw the sea in Tongyoung, they knew that it was the same sea they imagined while listening to Mr. Yoon Yi Sang’s music. The music had expressed a natural landscape as if a picture had been taken.

Let us look at an incident from his childhood.

‘When Spring comes and the paddy fills with water, it is filled with frogs. The sound of the frogs every night was very noisy but to me, it didn’t sound like whining. Instead it was more like an artistic chorus composed of different voices.

When one frog starts crying, another sound matches that and responds, and if a third joins, suddenly a chorus of trebles, mids, and bass start in concert, and again suddenly fall silent.’

This is what is archived in Mr. Yoon Yi Sang’s memorial in Tongyoung.

Hopefully, the readers who will see these words will not misunderstand. The purpose is not to write a biography about a man who has already passed away. Truthfully, I don’t know much about the deceased man. I have never even heard his music. As someone who is used to pop music, difficult contemporary music is still an uncomfortable noise for me.

Going forward, I will tell the story of one young musician who appeared suddenly. He left humanity with music so beautiful it was like a gift from God. The young genius was associated with impressive modifiers of the 21st century such as Mozart, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Chopin, and Quincy Jones, and was respected by the world.

This is a record of his music and the music empire that he built.


	2. Volume 1 / Chapter 1

Volume 1 / Chapter 1

TL: LightNovelCafe

The birth of a first child usually brings parents boundless joy. This is especially the case in Korean society where the birth of a son gives the mother reassurance and the father a little more happiness than a daughter does. A son means being able to pass on their lineage, and words are insufficient to express how the grandfather and grandmother feel from a grandchild.

Now if a particularly handsome baby is born – why the parents will jump up and down with joy.

However, there are the few parents who think that their first child’s birth signifies nothing short of a disaster.

This was the case with the immature teen who forgot the gravity of pregnancy and the importance of contraceptives. When she finally found out about her pregnancy, unable to tell anyone, she trembled in fear and lost the chance for an abortion; ultimately becoming a single mother.

Of course not all single mothers are fools like this young woman. I am just telling you what happened in this one isolated incident.

 

The only things Jang Jun Hyuk received from his mother being a paper with his date of birth and his name, he was abandoned at an orphanage in Daegu before even having once tasting his mother’s milk.

A nun of the Catholic foundation behind the orphanage looked after baby Jang Jun Hyuk, who rarely cried and was as cute as a kitten, with more love and care than his biological mother ever did or could.

Though it was unfortunate that he was abandoned by his mother, he was blessed with the orphanage’s excellent facilities and the loving care of its nuns.

While it was impossible to know when he was a newborn baby, as he reached an age when he started to toddle and could manage some sort of expression, it was evident that this endearing child was different from the other children.

 

At an age when he should have been playing with dolls or toys, he spent his days touching the mobile dangling from the ceiling. When he reached the age when he should have been playing with his friends, he spent all day listening to hymns on his CD player or to the sound of wind coming from the big tree standing in the yard of the orphanage.

“Jun Hyuk. Let’s play with your brothers. Why are you always alone?” said the head sister almost as if in reprimand.

“I need to be alone to hear the sounds, mom.”

“Sounds?”

“Yes. The sounds.”

“What sounds? The hymns?”

“The hymns are no longer any fun.”

“So what are fun sounds?”

“The sound of trees, the wind, and of my friends playing. Um… I also like the sound of eating. Ha ha.”

It meant that he knew how to train his ears to sounds. The sister suspected that Jun Hyuk may have received a gift from God and wanted to ask him more questions to test this, but was unable to continue due to his following words.

“The best sound is… the sound of crying while sleeping. When one person cries, the older or younger siblings all start to cry as well. The sound of everyone crying together is better than the songs of the cathedral choir. It’s different every single day.”

The head sister realized what Jun Hyuk’s real problem was. Jun Hyuk had never once cried for the parents whose faces he didn’t know as the other children had. And she left it at that.


	3. Volume 1 / Chapter 2

Volume 1 / Chapter 2

TL: LightNovelCafe

One day one of the nuns approached the head sister of the orphanage with a concerned expression.

“Head sister. You know Jun Hyuk.”

“Yes. What about Jun Hyuk?”

“Father said that… he behaved strangely during service.”

“Strange behavior? Jun Hyuk? What kind of strange behavior?”

“Well, apparently he kept changing the hymn as he sang it. At first, he thought Jun Hyuk was imitating the choir… but it was as if he was inserting chords….”

 

“Chords? Well, that’s not so strange. That just means Jun Hyuk is a good singer.”

The young sister was surprised by the smile that started creeping on the head sister’s face.

“No… no. That’s not it. I’m saying he changed the hymn completely. The words were the same and the rest was different.”

“Whew. You almost scared me for a moment. Don’t be so silly. That’s how kids are. They have a great imagination. There are a lot of kids who change the lyrics when they sing. How is that any different from changing the tune?”

The young sister could not say more because the head sister spoke so nonchalantly while waving her hand. The father had clearly spoken about it as it if were very important and something to be addressed immediately.

The young sister left the office thinking that if it were really a critical issue, the father would speak to the head sister himself. She wouldn’t bother with it anymore.

The head sister already knew that Jun Hyuk was very different from the other children. An unusual child cannot help but live an unusual life. It was difficult for Jun Hyuk’s environment to be one that would guide his extraordinary talent in a good direction.

Regardless, it was impossible to give Jun Hyuk special treatment. The head sister’s work ethic was that all children needed to be treated equally and she followed this firmly.

For Jun Hyuk…no, for all of the children, the best solution was for them to be adopted into good families.

Fortunately, there was a middle-aged couple who visited occasionally and they cared very much for Jun Hyuk. It was also said that this middle-aged couple didn’t have any children and were planning for an adoption. Although they weren’t rich, they were an ordinary couple financially stable enough to raise a child.

The head sister made up her mind to make the best choice for Jun Hyuk. That was to personally meet the middle-aged couple, ask what their intentions were, and show them what a good choice Jun Hyuk would be as their adoptive son.


	4. Volume 1 / Chapter 3

Volume 1 / Chapter 3

TL: LightNovelCafe

“How are you? Have you thought about it a bit?”

“Yes.”

The middle-aged couple came to the orphanage a month after the head sister had suggested Jun Hyuk’s adoption and started to speak cautiously.

“We deliberated on the issue very carefully. Though we think that we would become good parents to Jun Hyuk…..”

“Is there a problem?”

The head sister who had been monitoring the couple’s atmosphere felt unsettled by the trailing of their words. Could they be turning the adoption down?

“We get the feeling that Jun Hyuk isn’t opening up to us.”

 

“When we are speaking or playing, instead of doing it together, should we say it’s as though he is observing us? Strangely, we get that feeling.”

The couple took turns confessing their inner thoughts on Jun Hyuk.

“Could it be that you feel this way because Jun Hyuk by nature does not talk very much? Though he is young, should I say that he is a very deep child? Jun Hyuk is also very quiet and likes to ponder about things than to be wasteful with words.”

The couple faced each other. After a short while, the husband spoke.

“Will you talk to Jun Hyuk for us? If he says that he likes us and is willing to follow us, we do have the intention to adopt him.”

The head sister did not hide her happiness in the couple’s acceptance.

 

“Thank you. The both of you are really giving a great love.”

[separator type=”dashed-double”]

“Jun Hyuk, what do you think? That man and woman say that they really like you.”

“I like them too. They are very fast.”

“Fast? Whatever do you mean, child?”

“Their sound. The man and woman make sounds very quickly. They’re very funny sounds. Ha ha.”

Looking at the innocent Jun Hyuk laughing about something as simple as sounds, it seemed necessary to teach him the meaning of adoption.

 

“Jun Hyuk. What do you think it’ll be like to live with that man and woman? They would like to live with you.”

“Why? That man and woman don’t have fathers and mothers either? Will they be living here with us?

“No, that’s not it. You would go to live in their house. You would have parents.”

He simply blinked at the words mom and dad, so the head sister decided to discuss what would catch Jun Hyuk’s interest first.

“The couple raises animals. The majority are chickens, but there are also ducks and goats…”

“Okay. I’d like that.”

Jun Hyuk smiled widely with his bright eyes and spoke loudly.

“What? You’d like it?”

“Yes. I want to go if there are a lot of animals.”

“Jun Hyuk, you have to like the man and woman in order to go live with them. Not the animals.”

“I like the man and I like the woman too.”

The head sister thought that it would be better for Jun Hyuk to spend more time with the couple before going through with the adoption. She decided to finalize the adoption after they spent more time together and once both parties were sure of their choices.

After that, the couple started visiting the orphanage together or separately at least twice a week to spend the day with Jun Hyuk.

 

Seven to eight months went by like this and once May came when the heat became rampant midday, 5 year old Jang Jun Hyuk was adopted by the couple with a chicken farm on Gyeongbuk Number 7.

The man was awkwardly wearing a suit and the woman an airy dress, having gotten her hair done early in the morning at a salon. They picked Jun Hyuk up in their van and left the orphanage as the other children looked on enviously.

This was especially the case as it was May 5th, Children’s Day. As Jun Hyuk had never been to an amusement park, they took him to one in Daegu to make it a special day.

With the loud music and the activity of Children’s Day, Jun Hyuk acted like a 5 year old for the first time in the bustling noise. He patiently stood in the long line to ride the merry-go-round and ran around yelling excitedly. The couple had to hold his hand tightly and follow him around so as not to lose him.

They never said no to him because it was their first day as a family as well as Children’s Day. The two who became parents that day and gave Jun Hyuk whatever he wanted.

They got in the car and left once it became evident that Jun Hyuk was tired after spending the entire day running around.

Not surprisingly, before even 10 minutes passed, Jun Hyuk was laid out in the back seat of the van sleeping comfortably. Once they got on the highway to Number 7, the man sped up the car.

“Honey. Should we stop at a rest area and eat a bowl of ramen?”

“Ramen? Why suddenly ramen?”

“After eating all of the sweets that Jun Hyuk likes, I feel like I’m going crazy because it’s so greasy. I need to eat some ramen with red chili powder and ease my stomach. Jun Hyuk is asleep, right?”

“Yes. He’s even snoring.”

The sleeping Jun Hyuk was so cute with his shallow snoring that the two smiled broadly.

“The rest area is just up ahead, so I’ll eat quickly and come back.”

“I’ll eat with you. The greasy food is bothering me as well.”

They had eaten things that they would usually only eat when they ate out. They had pasta for lunch, then foods that children like such as grilled squid with butter and sugared churros. To these two middle-aged people who were used to eating kimchi stew and soybean paste stew, the food was difficult to bear.

They parked at a highway rest area and checked again to make sure that he was sleeping. They could still hear his low snoring.

They left the window open slightly and ran to the rest area. When they had come out of the rest area after quickly emptying a bowl of spicy ramen each and buying water and juice at the convenience store, it was raining. They ran through the rain thinking of the rain that may have gone into the car through the small crack in the window. When they got to the car, the door was wide open and Jun Hyuk was gone.


	5. Volume 1 / Chapter 4

Volume 1 / Chapter 4

TL: LightNovelCafe

To the Jun Hyuk who had only been to the cathedral and nursery, the loud melody of a trot heard out at the highway rest area was a world of new sounds. He woke up to this incredible sound.

A bout of passing showers came down as if it had been planned. The sounds of the trot tune and the raindrops on the car roof drew Jun Hyuk out of the car.

Trot’s bumping rhythm laid out the basic bass and the raindrops pounding the car hood were the elaborate music on top.

It was as if there were dozens of instruments playing at the same time in the parking lot of this highway rest area. Jun Hyuk was able to differentiate between the distinct sounds each raindrop made on every different type of car hood.

Drunk with the elaborate sound that the raindrops and cars made, Jun Hyuk ran around the parking lot forgetting that his clothes were wet. It was in the crisp chords, he heard a fine, thin treble. The sound came from a kitten that had found shelter from the rain under a car.

Jun Hyuk bent down and reached out his arm to get the kitten out and the scared kitten ran out into the rain.

Within moments, the rain-soaked parking lot had become a playground for hide-and-seek. Jun Hyuk chased the kitten laughing gleefully, and while his adoptive parents yelled for him, the shouts didn’t carry far due to the sound of the music of the rain.

The byway next to the rest area building was the passage the employees used to commute to and from work. Jun Hyuk followed the kitten out of the rest area through this byway.

Jun Hyuk’s adoptive parents had no idea that this had happened and lost their first child born from the heart within a day while the rest area speakers blasted the message that they were looking for Jun Hyuk.


	6. Volume 1 / Chapter 5

Volume 1 / Chapter 5

TL: LightNovelCafe

44 year old Yoon Kwang Hun was on the phone shouting.

“Hey! How can you do this so suddenly? What are we going to do about the customers if you cancel when we’ve been advertising with flyers for a month? Customers are already taking their seats!”

“Boss. Please be considerate of our circumstances. It’s our first broadcast request in 4 years. We came here urgently because the person who was supposed to go on broadcast canceled last minute as well. How can we miss this opportunity?”

“Damn. Isn’t that a program that doesn’t even get high viewer ratings? And… how can Kim Jung Soo go on that program at that age? That’s where trot elders in their 60s go to make petty cash. Are you crazy?”

“Not today. Pop singers from the 70s and 80s were also included today. Anyway, please excuse us just this one day. In exchange, we’ll promise two free shows next month. Okay? Let’s hang up now.”

 

Yoon Kwang Hun tried calling Kim Jung Soo’s manager again who had hung up, but only got the answering machine. He nervously put the receiver down and pulled out a cigarette.

“How many people are here?”

The waiter standing anxiously next to Yoon Kwang Hun eyed him apprehensively.

“There aren’t very many tables as it’s still early. Boss, what should we do?”

“What can we do! Take down all of the flyers outside and post an apology that today’s performance isn’t happening at the entrance. And you.”

“Yes.”

“You stand at the entrance and tell the people coming in that today’s show has been pushed to next week.”

“Okay.”

He took his anger out on his young employees. The young employees stood with their heads hanging as if they had done something wrong.

“Go and inform the people who have already ordered food and don’t charge them for the food.”

“Yes boss.”

The employee left and Yoon Kwang Hun took a drag of his cigarette.

“Damn damn damn, I need to stop doing this crap too. I’m getting too old for this.”


	7. Volume 1 / Chapter 6

Volume 1 / Chapter 6

TL: LightNovelCafe

Yoon Kwang Hun graduated from a prestigious Korean university and got his MBA at the reputable Stanley University in California. After, he became a successful fund manager on Manhattan’s Wall Street.

At this time, a financial institution in Korea called Future Asset offered him a hefty salary, a sizable signing bonus, in addition to some generous incentives to scout him – and he accepted it without a second thought.

No matter how successful he was, it was difficult to compete with the white man as a person of color. What was it called again? The white male privilege? Another reason he took the offer was that his level of skill was slightly short to play in the major leagues like Wall Street.

After that, Yoon Kwang Hun’s life was that of every man’s fantasy. He drove a luxury foreign car, lived in a deluxe apartment in Gangnam, and went to the Gangnam room salons every night. The name-brand clothing he wore from head to toe cost almost as much as his car did.

 

He was the perfect man for gold diggers because he was young and professional, made a fortune, and was single. He had over 100 women’s numbers saved on his phone. From an internet shopping mall fitting model to a TV announcer, an unemployed woman, and a young married woman were also among his to play with. Occasionally, he would have a celebrity’s phone number that he would later delete.

No matter how beautiful a flower is, it cannot live past the summer. No matter how mighty an authority may be, it cannot live past 10 years. As such, since power isn’t held by withstanding it, do not try to use power at your whim and do not fret to obtain it. This proverb can be applied to men in stock exchange. The extravagant days that he thought would be endless disappeared with the subprime mortgage financial crisis in the United States.

While planning a comeback after experiencing a huge loss, Yoon Kwang Hun was diagnosed with depression at a hospital where the Director happened to be his boss’ best friend.

This news was delivered immediately to his workplace, Future Asset, and he received his dismissal papers the same day.

“You **holes. How can you fire me after all of the money that I’ve made for you?”

He made a scene and slammed the company door on his way out. I still have enough. There’s still enough money that I’ve saved and my skills haven’t rusted over yet. I can make an office by myself… No I can jump into the gamble that is the financial market from home. Isn’t it a gamble that not many people in Korea recognize?


	8. Volume 1 / Chapter 7

Volume 1 / Chapter 7

TL: LightNovelCafe

He lost two things in exactly 3 years. Money and health.

All he was left with was a bank balance that had been reduced to a measly $1000 from what was once over $10 million and a warning from his doctor that, because he had spent his days watching the HTS program while chain smoking, he would die if he did not quit smoking and start exercising now.

Though Yoon Kwang Hun was not a successful gambler, he was not stupid. He had admitted his defeat and left the table.

After he sold his house worth millions to settle his loans, he had about $1 million left. For someone who survived such a great loss, it wasn’t a bad result. He needed to be careful with his second challenge. He couldn’t waste his remaining $1 million.

At first, he thought of making a cafe in Hongdae or Sinchon. Music, coffee, and wine were Yoon Kwang Hun’s only hobbies and he had wanted to spend the rest of his life surrounded by them.

 

However, the music that Yoon Kwang Hun liked had long become classics that wouldn’t be popular in Hongdae and Sinchon. This became a reason to give up his tiny store with colossal rent.

Yoon Kwang Hun lost all of his nerve and had to admit that he was an old middle-aged man and needed to be more and more careful with the money he had left. The last place that he contracted was a refined live cafe.

Infested with middle-aged customers and the occasional irrelevant pop singers with one or two hits under their belts, the target customer was the person who wanted to listen to music while giving a farce of elegance with wine.

The practice did well enough for 6 months to make a comfortable living. Once the business slowed down, he was making the bare minimum to live off of. About a year passed like this and, as the contractors kept frequenting his cafe, Yoon Kwang Hun had to change its concept to another live cafe.

As another year passed, he found out that he had been swindled by the contractors. Though the menu prices were increased 5-fold on the days that singers performed, profits didn’t increase. Eventually, his live cafe just became another cafe in Misari where he had to keep listening to the pop music of the 70s and 80s instead of the music that he liked.


	9. Volume 1 / Chapter 8

Volume 1 / Chapter 8

TL: LightNovelCafe

Whenever a singer cancels last minute like was done today, the number of customers decrease. After Kim Jung Soo’s 50 year old fans ate their free food and left, all that was left were their leftovers.

Yoon Kwang Hun closed the cafe early for the night and sipped on a bottle of wine alone. He should have kept the business going on its original concept. Due to his greed, his body was tired and his mind was uncomfortable. As he was calculating the cost of returning the interior decoration to its prior state, he heard a loud noise from the dumpster. It sounded like the stray cats were going through the garbage again. Every time those cats went through the dumpster, the garbage was left in an unbearable state.

Yoon Kwang Hun set his wine glass down and ran out of the kitchen. Instead of a stray cat, there was a child dripping in water with his head in the dumpster, shoving pieces of leftover steak in his mouth.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

The boy became startled at Yoon Kwang Hun’s yell and ran away like a bullet with pieces of meat in both hands.

“Are there kids like that these days?”

Kids groveling in the street were a vague memory. A long time ago, it used to be common for children to beg in the train stations or on the street, but they had pretty much disappeared since online games became popular. It was said that these kids now spent their time pharming online games in a warehouse somewhere.

Since the child was someone else’s problem, he forgot about him and started cleaning up the garbage. He went back into the cafe and started drinking the wine again to think about redesigning the cafe, but kept thinking of the little boy’s handsome face and couldn’t concentrate.

 

Yoon Kwang Hun went into the kitchen, took out two tonkatsu cutlets from the freezer, and started frying them.

“Ugh, my situation isn’t any better so what am I doing thinking of someone else?”

As he was grumbling like this and thinking about how hungry the child must have been that he had gone through the garbage, he kept cooking.

He put a few tonkatsu cutlets and three or four bananas that were supposed to be used as snacks in a bag and left it by the dumpster.

“Hey! I’m leaving this out for you to eat, so take it before the stray cats do!”

He wasn’t sure if the kid was still in the vicinity, but he called out loudly and went back into the cafe. He thought that with this, the sympathy and remorse he couldn’t help but feel would go away.

 

After about 10 minutes, there was a rustling sound and then silence. He quietly stepped outside to make sure the stray cats hadn’t taken the food left out for the little boy.

Yoon Kwang Hun saw the little boy running away with the bag of food in his hands and his heart became a little lighter.

He forgot the depressing thoughts he had earlier and turned his favorite CD on loudly. All he wanted to do was have some time to himself with music and wine.

He lost himself in the music and as it was reaching its peak, he saw a face stuck to the cafe window. He was startled by the head floating like a ghost’s, but once he recognized it as the head of the little boy who ran away with the bag of food, he calmed down.

He went out thinking that the boy had come to say thank you for the food, but he remained stuck to the window without realizing that Yoon Kwang Hun was standing next to him. Once Yoon Kwang Hun tapped his shoulder, he finally knew that someone was next to him and ran like lightning.

 

He just watched the boy in shock, but the boy stopped and came back towards Yoon Kwang Hun.

“Thank you.”

He bowed in greeting and the sight of him holding the paper bag made Yoon Kwang Hun’s heart tremble again.

“Hey. Come in. You didn’t even get to drink water after eating the tonkatsu and bananas, right? Your throat is probably dry… I didn’t think of that earlier. You’re probably thirsty, so come in and have a glass of water.”

The little boy who had been flitting his eyes back and forth followed Yoon Kwang Hun into the cafe. Looking at his messy hair, clothing dripping in dirty water, and face, it seemed like he hadn’t been able to wash himself in at least a year.

The beggar-like little boy sat down cautiously and he drank the whole bottle of water he was given. Watching the boy drink water, he could guess he was still hungry.

“Hey. Are you still hungry? Do you want me to make you more tonkatsu? Will you eat it?”

He went back to the kitchen after the boy’s eyes became big and he nodded his head vigorously. He first fried one cutlet and handed it to the boy in a plate.

Yoon Kwang Soo watched the boy chewing the cutlet in his hand instead of cutting it up and asked,

“Hey. What’s your name?”

“Jang… Jang Jun Hyuk.”

The sight of the child saying his name with a mouth full of tonkatsu was even more pitiful.

“Do you want to eat more?”

Jun Hyuk nodded his head heartily as though he had been waiting for it.

Yoon Kwang Hun went to the kitchen, fried the rest of the tonkatsu, and put it on a plate. From the way he was eating, it seemed like he could eat enough for 10 people.

 

Jang Jun Hyuk saw the plate with more than 10 tonkatsu cutlets, and he couldn’t speak. He ate and ate until he was nauseous. It was like a bear filling his stomach after a winter of hibernation.

“If you can’t eat anymore, you can stop. I’ll pack up the rest for you so you can eat it later.”

Jun Hyuk put his fork down once he heard that he could take the rest of the food.

“Did you run away?”

“Excuse me?”

“Did you run away from home?”

“Oh, no. I don’t have a home.”

“What? You don’t have a home? What does that mean?”

“I’m an orphan. An orphan without a home or parents.”

“How old are you?”

“I’m not sure. 15? 16?”

“Did you run away from somewhere like a nursery or an orphanage?”

“I lived in an orphanage run by nuns when I was young, but I’ve been living on the streets since I was 5 years old.”

“Why!?”

Yoon Kwang Hun was so surprised that he yelled without realizing it. Goodness! How are there still children like this? And looking at his age, it means that he’s been living in the streets for 10 years… This was something that he could not begin to understand.

“Hey… mister. It just happened. Do I have to tell you everything?”

 

There was no need to rub salt in the wounds of a child he met today. It was just out of curiosity. Yoon Kwang Hun began to think that he had made a mistake.

“Alright. You don’t have to tell me. I asked something useless.”

Though it was a situation where one person had done a good deed and the other person should be thankful, there was only silence. This awkward situation disappeared because of Jun Hyuk’s words.

“But mister. What is that music you just turned on?”

The speaker was already quiet. Yoon Kwang Hun hadn’t even realized that the CD track had finished.

“Oh, that? That’s Mahler. Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5. That was recorded when Georg Schulte used to lead the Chicago Orchestra. It’s my favorite.”

Jun Hyuk only blinked his eyes. There weren’t any words that he could understand in Yoon Kwang Hun’s explanation.

“Yes. Well… Anyway, thank you for the tonkatsu.”

Yoon Kwang Hun saw Jun Hyuk rising from his seat and spoke.

“Hey. Do you want to listen to it again? From here, not from outside. From the beginning.”

“Really?”

Jun Hyuk seemed like a strange boy because he smiled more brightly at that than he did when he ate until he was full as he sat back down on the sofa.

Yoon Kwang Hun put the CD in and turned the volume back up. As the music flowed out, Jang Jun Hyuk closed his eyes and listened closely. He had been sitting on the sofa tensely with a straight back, but he changed his position comfortably so that he was seated back.

When the music ended again, Jun Hyuk burst out in admiration.

“It’s incredible he included that many sounds in 66 minutes and 10 seconds. It sounds much better than when I was listening from outside.”

“What? What did you just say? 66 minutes?”

“No. 66 minutes and 10 seconds.”

“What’s 66 minutes and 10 seconds?”

“The road. The music’s road. You know? How long it was playing.”

Yoon Kwang Hun jumped up from his seat and looked at the CD case that he had thrown next to the CD player. It was clearly printed that the running time was 66 minutes and 8 seconds.

 

“You… How did you know the running time? Did you measure it on the clock?”

“What time?”

“Running time. The performance time.”

“I just know it.”

“You just knew it? Automatically?”

“Yes. I just knew it.”

Yoon Kwang Hun couldn’t believe this beggar-like teenage boy. When Zubin Mehta was leading the New York Philharmonic, there was a legend that he matched the running times exactly every time he conducted Beethoven’s symphonies.

However, it may be possible because he listened to Beethoven hundreds of thousands of times to interpret it for the orchestra he was conducting. But figuring out the running time just by listening to it? Yoon Kwang Hun shook his head back and forth. It was impossible. Did it mean that there was a stopwatch or metronome embedded in his head?

Jun Hyuk’s feminine face didn’t show any sign that there was something strange. It didn’t seem like he was lying and there was no reason for him to lie.

Yoon Kwang Hun swallowed and asked again,

“Do you by any chance remember the entire song you just heard?”

“Yes. When I was listening from outside, I wasn’t sure because it wasn’t clear, but I just remembered the whole song.”

Yoon Kwang Hun’s sight became fuzzy. Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 isn’t a widely known work like Beethoven’s symphony Fate was. No matter how many times he had heard it, there was no way for him to memorize the whole song unless he had majored in classical music. No, among classical music majors, how many of them could have completely memorized all of the parts to a symphony? Even Yoon Kwang Hun who had listened to the song hundreds of times could only remember the melody. It wasn’t even that he memorized it, but he just remembered it.

Yoon Kwang Hun asked carefully,

“Do you… want to try it? Remembering it?”

“How? There’s just the sound.”

“Exactly. Um… You can make the same sounds. Bam ba bam ba, or turururu… in this way.”

Yoon Kwang Hun’s heart beat faster and his whole body felt weak at the thought that there was an extraordinary person in front of his eyes. Jang Jun Hyuk thought for a while and eventually grimaced.

“I can’t do it.”

Of course not. What a ridiculous lie! Unless he was the reincarnation of Mozart, it was impossible. He didn’t know why, but he relaxed and his mind found comfort.

But Jang Jun Hyuk’s words that he could not do it were not the last.

 

“There are 106 sounds… Doesn’t that mean there are 106 instruments? How can I personally make each of those sounds?”

He tensed up again at the shock and became uncomfortable again. Even more than he had been before. It felt like all the blood in his body had rushed to his head.

If this child was not lying, the reincarnation of Mozart was standing in front of him. No, he was even more impressive than Mozart. Mozart had memorized Allegri’s ‘Miserere Mei, Deus’ after hearing it for the first time when he was 14 years old.

This song had been sealed by the Pope, so it was only performed at the Sistine Chapel. Revealing the sheet music for this song and singing it outside of the chapel was strictly forbidden, but 14 year old Mozart heard it once and wrote it perfectly.

However, that music lasted just 10 minutes. It didn’t compare to this small child’s ability.

“Are you saying that knowing what it means? Are you saying that you memorized all the parts in an orchestra after hearing a song once?”

“Mister… Say a random time.”

“A time? What time?”

“Any time in the 66 minutes.”

Yoon Kwang Hun figured out the kid’s intent.

“Minute 37.”

“At minute 37, there were eight sounds. From minute 33 to 41, eight instruments played. I don’t really know names of instruments…..”

Even classical music enthusiast Yoon Kwang Hun had no way of confirming Jun Hyuk’s response because he did not have the ability to separate the sounds as such. He may be able to check if he were looking at the sheet music.

Looking at Jun Hyuk’s innocent face, it was difficult to think that he was lying. Jun Hyuk bowed his head to Yoon Kwang Hun who could not recover from the shock and stood up.

“Mister. Thank you for the tonkatsu.”

Jun Hyuk did not forget the plastic bag with the tonkatsu and held it tightly in his hand. Yoon Kwang Hun had the thought that he must do something, but he could not think of what it was. In the midst of his reluctance and hesitation, Jang Jun Hyuk was opening the cafe door.

“Hey, kid! What did you say your name was?”

“Jang Jun Hyuk.”

“Right, Jang Jun Hyuk. If you want to eat tonkatsu, come back. I’ll make it deliciously.”

Jun Hyuk bowed his farewell again and left the cafe.

Yoon Kwang Hun stared blankly at the door Jang Jun Hyuk had left through for a few minutes. Once he came to his senses, he started pulling his hair.

“Ah, crap. What are you doing!”

He was cursing at himself. How could he be so stupid? No matter how shocked he was, how could he have sat here blankly while a young Mozart went out into the rain with nowhere to go?

He must find the boy. He couldn’t confirm yet, but he needed to know if the boy was a diamond or a coal. Even if he was not a diamond, their fates had crossed and he could not let leave such a young child alone in this situation.


	10. Volume 1 / Chapter 9

Volume 1 / Chapter 9

TL: LightNovelCafe

Once Jun Hyuk came out of the cafe, he needed to get out of the neighborhood. If those guys caught him again, there was no way that they would let him live.

The guys he mugged a few days ago had clearly looked like good students. They wore their uniforms neatly and looking at their heavy bags, it seemed like they carried their books with them. He had followed them quietly and called the two into a quiet place. After he hit them a few times, they had obediently given him everything in their wallets. Everything was okay even as he was leaving with a few tickets to the museum and $30.

$30 was enough to suppress hunger for 10 days with two rice rolls a day from Kimbap Heaven. He could make enough to buy cup ramen if he sold the museum tickets to children at the internet cafe.

 

Before he made it inside the internet cafe, the students appeared with their friends, and Jun Hyuk barely managed to run away from the kids.

He had bothered the wrong people. It seemed like these kids did not even attend school. Jun Hyuk saw them looking for him near the prep schools all morning.

Since he could not go into the area with all of the prep schools, he could not even buy a triangular rice roll. When he was famished, the best place to find food was the area with all of the cafes. Because the cafe area was not downtown and they were not all placed closely next to each other, it was easy to approach them inconspicuously. There were also cafes that did not serve soups and had dry foods. Of the places that dumped all of their leftover food in a separate barrel, the ones with soups mixed with everything else had made it all impossible to eat.

Yoon Kwang Hun was one of the only people who removed liquids while throwing out the food due to his clean nature. Jun Hyuk usually went through the garbage right before the collection trucks came when the cafes were closed for the night but he could not wait this time – he had starved for days. And that was how the two had finally met.

‘Let me get just $50 more and I’ll leave this neighborhood.’

If he had just $50 more, he could hold out long enough to figure out the situation in a new neighborhood. Jang Jun Hyuk started walking towards the area with the prep schools again.


	11. Volume 1 / Chapter 10

Volume 1 / Chapter 10

TL: LightNovelCafe

Jun Hyuk wandered cautiously around the middle school. There were kids who roamed into the back streets after school to smoke.

Jun Hyuk’s radar caught 4 schoolgirls. Two were smoking cigarettes and two were distracted by their smart phones.

“Where do you girls think you’re smoking?”

Jun Hyuk turned around after he had pretended to be passing by and punched the two girls who were smoking. He then smacked the two girls who had been looking at their phones and took their phones.

He knew that he had succeeded when he saw the girls were recoiling in fear. Even without using force, Jun Hyuk’s long hair, dirty and worn clothing, and odor were enough to scare the young schoolgirls.

 

“Hurry up and take the money out of your wallets or I’ll break these phones.”

As he raised the phone to smash it to the floor, the owner clumsily took her wallet out and handed it to him. The two girls who had been smoking before Jun Hyuk punched them were standing with their hands to their cheeks, unable to lift their heads.

“Damn. What are you guys doing? Hurry up and take out your money.”

He kicked the two girls slumped on the floor a few times and they took out their wallets. He shoved the money from the four girls’ wallets into his pocket and quickly fled out of the alley, towards the main street.

All he had in his pocket were a few dollar bills and one 5 dollar bill. Maybe it was because they were middle schoolers, but there wasn’t one 10 dollar bill.

When he came out onto the main street and some boys who weren’t in uniforms walking with some in uniforms looked at Jun Hyuk in surprise.

“That… that bastard… isn’t he that bastard?”

Jun Hyuk recognized them as the guys who had been going around looking for him right away and ran back into the alley.

“Hey! Catch that kid!”

Jun Hyuk’s heart started beating as wildly as the countless footsteps that were chasing him.


	12. Volume 1 / Chapter 11

Volume 1 / Chapter 11

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Boss, the places where kids like that go are obvious. Internet cafes, comic book cafes, or saunas. But if he’s as dirty as you say he was, he probably wouldn’t go to the sauna. Those kinds of kids also hang around the area with the prep schools. That way, they can mug middle school or elementary school students.”

All he had to go on was information from his young employee. Yoon Kwang Hun took his employee’s word and walked around the prep school area.

After wandering the area for a few days, he heard girls cry out in the direction of the main street. Teenagers were running from where the screaming had sounded.

He spied the long hair of a boy running away. Yoon Kwang Hun was sure that it was Jun Hyuk and ran after him.

***

“Get up kid. You didn’t even get hurt that badly. Are you making a big deal out of a few scratches on your back?”

“Oh, mister.”

When Jun Hyuk opened his eyes, he found himself lying in an unfamiliar room. He was disorientated at first, but quickly recalled yesterday’s events.

He remembered Yoon Kwang Hun yelling at the kids beating him to stop, but they both ended up getting hit. If it can be considered fortunate, it was fortunate that the beating did not last long because an adult had interfered.

 

“Even if you break a bone at your age, if you eat well…..”

Yoon Kwang Hun quickly stopped. Wasn’t he like a stray cat, unable to eat properly? He couldn’t talk about food to a child like that.

“Anyway, sleep a bit more. We’ll talk later.”

As he was closing the door to the tiny room, he stopped and left it wide open instead. Music accented with a compelling yet rough voice spilled through the door like sunshine coming through a window.

“Listen to the music carefully. Listen to how long it is.”

“What is this?”

“Lynyrd Skynyrd. This is probably the first time you’re hearing it.”


	13. Volume 1 / Chapter 12

Volume 1 / Chapter 12

TL: LightNovelCafe

After a night of deep sleep, his body felt light. The only signs that something had happened were his bloated face and stiff, bandaged back.

“You’re awake now? How do you feel?”

“Oh, mister. Yes… I’m okay.”

“You must be hungry. Sit there and I’ll make you something to eat.”

Jun Hyuk sat uncomfortably in a corner of the cafe. He had only seen the boss on the first day when he ate the tonkatsu, but there were two young people cleaning and preparing the hall now. He could also see the boss making something next to the chef in the kitchen.

The two young employees cleaning the hall kept glancing over at Jun Hyuk as well. Yoon Kwang Hun came out with a plate once that attention started to become uncomfortable.

 

“Eat this first and ease your stomach. We’ll eat more heartily for dinner.”

Jun Hyuk only noticed that something was wrong with Yoon Kwang Hun’s face after he had scarfed down the porridge.

“But mister. Your face?”

“Oh, this? Those high schoolers hit me a little yesterday. At any rate, I thought you would be able to fight a bit but you couldn’t.”

“If we fought properly, I would have won for sure. What can I do when they’re all ganging up on me? I could have run away if it weren’t for you but you came…..”

“Hey kid! Your tone is different after being saved. Ha ha.”

 

Jun Hyuk wanted to thank Yoon Kwang Hun who was laughing with a bruised face, but he lost his chance to show his gratefulness because of his next words because they were entirely unexpected.

“Do you want to work here?”

“Excuse me?”

“You don’t have a place to go anyway. You can sleep in that small room and since this is a cafe, your meals won’t be a problem.”

Yoon Kwang Hun had considered taking Jun Hyuk home as well, but the cafe was better suited if he wanted to be surrounded by music at any time of the day. Yoon Kwang Hun’s CD collection and the audio system he had spent thousands on were at the cafe. If Jun Hyuk even wanted to make ramen at the house, he would have to be careful of Yoon Kwang Hun, but if he were alone at the cafe, he could go into the refrigerator at any time and eat whatever he wanted.

“But what type of work?”

“Instead of dealing with the customers, preparing to open for business and cleaning the hall and kitchen after closing. That’s it. What do you think?”

“So you’re telling me to just prepare and clean, right?”

“That’s right. Isn’t it completely ideal?”

He thought Jun Hyuk would be jumping for joy at the offer of simply cleaning in exchange for food and shelter, but he had a strange expression that was neither positive nor negative. What’s more, the expression did not look favorable either.

“Excuse me, mister. Tell me honestly. What do you want from me?”

“What? What do you mean?”

“There’s no adult who gives out food and shelter for free. There’s no such thing as free food.”

His eyes were full of distrust. His lips were forming a slight smile.

 

Adults made a young child like this. Could it be that he had never experienced kindness and goodwill?

“That… that… Whew~.”

Yoon Kwang Hun stopped talking to depress this horrible feeling. How had the world treated this 15 year old boy and what awful tribulations had he endured on his way here?

Yoon Kwang Hun had so many questions, but did not want to revisit old wounds like they had done the last time. Instead, he told Jun Hyuk what he needed to do going forward slowly and clearly.

“Listen carefully, Jun Hyuk. There are also adults who give hungry children free lunch without expecting anything in return. And it’s not free, is it? I’m making you clean.”

Jun Hyuk’s expression was that of disbelief. No matter how hard he searched his memory, there had never been a person who treated him like this without expecting something in return. He felt Yoon Kwang Hun’s sincerity in the way he was speaking clearly as if he were upset.

“But why are you being nice to me?”

“Um… let me think. How should I say it?”

Yoon Kwang Hun thought for a moment about how he could say it in a way that would help Jun Hyuk understand.

“You have a tremendous talent that you don’t know about. I don’t know how extensive it is either. I want to see that talent and I don’t want it to disappear.”

 

“By chance, can I hear… I mean, do I have a talent in music?”

“So far it seems so. It could be an incredible talent.”

“I see.”

Jun Hyuk hung his head. Yoon Kwang Hun could guess why his head was hanging and went on speaking.

“Even if you don’t have a talent, let’s live here together until you’re an adult. I’m alone and you’re alone.”

Jun Hyuk finally lifted his head and thanked him.

“Thank you, mister. I’ll make sure to be successful with my music and repay your kindness.”

“You’re embarrassing me… Forget about that. And you’re not just playing around. You really have to start studying hard.”

“Excuse me? Study?”

“Yea, study. You’ve never been to school, right?”

“No.”

“So you won’t know hangul?”

“No.”

“Hey, it’s fine. It’s not something to be ashamed of. It’s natural that you don’t know it if you’ve never learned it.”

Yoon Kwang Hun hit the back of Jun Hyuk’s once again hanging head.

 

“When the cafe opens in the morning, go to your room and sleep. Sleep well and you can listen to music when you get up. We can study together after the cafe is closed. We’ll learn hangul and sheet music.”

“Sheet music?”

“Yea. Sheet music makes it possible to read sounds.”

“Sounds?”

“Yes. It means you’re recording the pitch and length of sounds. And since you don’t know tones yet, you’ll need to learn an instrument. You need to know the different sounds instruments make.”

“Then… if I learn sheet music, I’ll be able to write down the sounds I think of?”

‘Exactly. This is it.’

Yoon Kwang Hun felt a shiver run through his body. There’s definitely music unique to this child in his head. Yoon Kwang Hun wanted to see that music. He needed to know if this child was Mozart reincarnated or if he just had absolute pitch, a sense for tempo, and amazing memorization.

If Jun Hyuk was not talented in composition, he would need to receive professional training. Yoon Kwang Hun thought this far ahead and started to worry. How much money would this cost?

“Jun Hyuk, you can think about making music slowly. You need to listen to a lot of it before that. As you listen to a lot of music, it’ll become clear how you can make the sounds that you are thinking of.”

With that, Jun Hyuk started to live at the cafe.


	14. Volume 1 / Chapter 13

Volume 1 / Chapter 13

TL: LightNovelCafe

He walked through the cafe door early in the morning and the soft melody of a guitar was floating around. Jun Hyuk sat in the middle of the cafe and stirred the air with his fingers without realizing that Yoon Kwang Hun had walked in. It seemed like he was following the guitar’s melody with his finger.

Yoon Kwang Hun waited until the CD track was over. When the music ended and the cafe became quiet, Jun Hyuk’s eyes opened wide and he ran over to the closet packed with CDs.

“You need to stop and work, right? What are you doing instead of preparing the cafe for business?”

“Ah… Boss.”

Jun Hyuk finally realized that Yoon Kwang Hun had come in and bowed to the cafe owner. Since it had been decided that he would start working, the first thing to change was the way he referred to the man. Yoon Kwang Hun also thought that it would be better for Jun Hyuk to call him that than mister so that he could gain a sense of responsibility and seriousness.

“Did you listen to music all night?”

“Yes, boss. But who is this person? Someone who plays the guitar?”

“Why? You like it? Jeff Beck. He’s a British guitarist.”

 

Jun Hyuk brought another CD and handed it to Yoon Kwang Hun.

“What about this person? This person playing the piano.”

“Glenn Gould. I guess you heard Bach’s Goldberg Variations. It’s incredible.”

Yoon Kwang Hun held the CD that Jun Hyuk handed him and smiled slightly. Jun Hyuk had fully taken his words to listen to all music without prejudice into consideration – rock, the blues, classical, etc.

“So? You haven’t answered my question. You didn’t sleep last night?”

“No.”

“Hurry up and get the cafe ready so you can go in and sleep.”

As Yoon Kwang Hun was about to drink a cup of coffee, Jun Hyuk came carefully to his side.

“Excuse me.”

“Yea. What?”

“Can you teach me english before hangul? All of the music is in english. It’s so frustrating to be unable to read the CDs.”

[TN] hangul is korean for…well, korean.

“It isn’t important who the people are. Just start by listening. Whatever it is. For now, it’s important that you listen to a variety of music.”

He couldn’t even write properly in hangul yet. Yoon Kwang Hun was also frustrated because he could not comprehend why someone who learned music scores so easily was having such difficulty memorizing the Korean alphabet.

 

However, it was obvious that he had been born with his talent for musical instruments. He remembered music he heard for the first time perfectly and could identify each sound by their instrument. All that was left to work on was the skill.

When he held a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, he remembered all 22 frets, 6 series, or 132 sounds perfectly. After he memorized the chords, he didn’t need to look at music scores to play any guitar performance.

Yoon Kwang Hun had purchased the Blu-Ray of a world famous guitarist because he was unable to play an instrument himself. After Jun Hyuk watched these guitarists’ live performances and saw how they handled their instruments, his own skill on the guitar improved steadily.

During the first year spent at the cafe, Jun Hyuk only played the piano and guitar. He slept once he finished preparing the cafe for business and listened to music from the moment he woke up in the afternoon. Once the cafe closed at 10 at night and he was done cleaning up, he practiced the piano and guitar until morning.

 

Yoon Kwang Hun was able to witness Jun Hyuk’s gift every day. He never once rested and even if he had practiced for 10 hours, he said that those 10 hours were short. It seemed as though he could not believe that the time had gone by so quickly.

Talent meant devoting oneself so much so that time is forgotten.

Jun Hyuk had reached the level where he could imitate anywhere from B.B. King’s blues to Yngwie Malmsteen. After another year passed, he could play the piano so well that a passerby would think that he had majored in classical music.

Music scores accumulated faster than his guitar and piano skills increased. He had now moved on from listening and imitating to creating his own music. The scores ranged from short instrumentals to the 40 minute symphony that he had wrestled with for over a month before its completion. Once he finished a song, he didn’t look at it again because he would write another song come tomorrow anyway.

“Jun Hyuk, what’s this song? To be honest, it’s a bit bothersome.”

It sounded as though there was a dissonance through the introduction that was almost uncomfortable to listen to. Of course, it could also be attributed to the fact that Yoon Kwang Hun had not been properly educated and could not imagine the melodies played by all of the instruments in an orchestra. He closed the score before going through very many of the sheets. He was not sure why, but he found the discomfort and uneasiness unbearable.

“You think so? I really like it.”

“It’s too experimental. What is it that you were trying to express?”

“Um… was it when I was 10 years old? It was when I was begging on the streets while singing gospels… I was beaten with a belt because I hadn’t brought in enough money. It was the first time I had been beaten so severely… and I passed out. The fear and pain I felt then and the frustration of not knowing when the beatings would stop? I tried remembering those feelings. I ended that song at the point where I had fainted. It doesn’t seem right?”

How could he talk about such a harrowing experience with a smile on his face…..

Yoon Kwang Hun felt even more uncomfortable than when he had been looking at the music score. From what had been occasionally disclosed to him over the last two years, it seemed Jun Hyuk’s street life had been more dramatic than a soap opera or a movie. He came to know that reality was more miserable and gruesome than an author could put into expression.


	15. Volume 1 / Chapter 14

Volume 1 / Chapter 14

TL: LightNovelCafe

Piano lessons were what Yoon Kwang Hun had hesitated most on. In popular music, it was possible to succeed as a self-taught guitarist, but pianists in the classical world received systematic lessons under tremendous maestros.

Honestly, he had not wanted to leave Jun Hyuk with some random professor from a Korean university, but he also did not have the means to get Jun Hyuk lessons from a highly reputable pianist.

However, Jun Hyuk himself made these worries go away.

He couldn’t stop the tears when Jun Hyuk played Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto. He had delivered a real pianist’s performance with a personal and emotional interpretation of the music rather than that of someone who plays robotically from the score.

It was evident that he was short on practice with frequently missed notes, and he did not show the techniques that would have been developed with formal lessons.

‘Should I just hire a piano teacher?’

Yoon Kwang Hun did not have the connections in Korea to find a decent college professor, so he started searching for a pianist who had studied abroad and was making a living on tutoring.


	16. Volume 1 / Chapter 15

Volume 1 / Chapter 15

TL: LightNovelCafe

Go Sae Won went to France at age 23 and traveled Europe learning to play piano for 15 years – even taking part in the Poland Chopin Competition. He had not earned a high score, but he had received enthusiastic applause from the youth.

Though he started at a much later age than the gifted pianists who had started at age 3 and 5, there was a greater passion in his music that was in the music of the young geniuses.

As a graduate of a university in the countryside, there was no place for him in his homeland. Unless he had been extremely successful in Europe, he could only be undervalued and spurned as he lacked the proper connections.

He knew as soon as he heard Jang Jun Hyuk’s piano, that his pride, passion, and efforts so far were really nothing.

Go Sae Won spoke after he heard Jun Hyuk play Chopin’s ‘Farewell’ and was so touched that his hands were shaking.

 

“Has… Has it really only been two years since you started playing piano?”

“Yes.”

Chopin himself had said that he could never produce another melody as beautiful as that of ‘Farewell,’ a song capturing his feelings for his homeland, Poland. Jun Hyuk expressed Chopin’s longing for his country and his loneliness effortlessly.

“But why have you brought this child to me?”

“I brought him so that he might receive lessons from you. If you can see talent in him to teach…”

“Teach? Talent? What can you teach a child like that? It has only been two years since he started playing the piano by himself and he can digest Chopin. I’m saying there will be less than ten people on this Earth who have the qualifications to teach that boy.”

 

“Ten people? You lower our Jun Hyuk too much. Ha ha.”

Yoon Kwang Hun must have liked Go Sae Won’s evaluation, because he laughed brightly and showed his relaxed state of mind.

“This man really! Are you playing games with me?”

“I meant it as a joke… I apologize if you were offended. It is the truth that I came here to ask you to give Jun Hyuk lessons.”

“What lessons? A few minor mistakes and bad habits? Lessons from me to fix those? You can ask a college student majoring in piano for that. He already knows all of the really important things… I have nothing to teach him.”

Go Sae Won’s words were sincere. He had nothing to teach Jun Hyuk, a pianist who could interpret music’s message and deliver it with emotion.

“Even with a diamond in the rough, don’t you have to buff and clean it to get to the light and have it reborn as a jewel? I am asking you for that.”

Go Sae Won had the thought that becoming Jang Jun Hyuk’s first teacher and being the person to lay down his foundation might be considered one of his musical achievements later.

That was when Jun Hyuk started to learn the basics twice a week at Go Sae Won’s house.

Just how far will Jun Hyuk go?


	17. Volume 1 / Chapter 16

Volume 1 / Chapter 16

TL: LightNovelCafe

The only thing Yoon Kwang Hun taught now was english. His goal was for there to be no difficulty in Jun Hyuk’s ability to communicate in english. In exchange, Jun Hyuk paid Yoon Kwang Hun with something much greater everyday.

He had the privilege to be the first to appreciate the new music that he made and the first to listen to his piano and guitar performances. Jun Hyuk played rock music for him when he was drinking beer and jazz when he was drinking wine.

Jun Hyuk started listening to other maestros’ music less and less. Instead, he spent more time making his own music.

Also, it had already been a year since Yoon Kwang Hun changed his business from a place for washed out pop singers performing live to a music cafe. This was the cafe he had originally envisioned. One with music, coffee, and wine. And finally the profits slowly started rolling in. But that was also on due to Jun Hyuk.

 

Jun Hyuk played the piano for one hour every day at the cafe and the customers’ reactions were better than expected. He was not performing played out classical music, but remade pop songs that the customers liked. Not only that, but he improvised the music to the customers’ requests of ballads as jazz, trot, and blues.

When rumors spread that there was a young and handsome pianist performing at the cafe, the customer base that used to be women in their 40s became women in their 30s, after which even young customers in their 20s started to come.

Jun Hyuk looked like an adult over 20 with his tall height and long curly hair. The customers sighed in regret when they were told that he was only 17 years old, but they remained as regular patrons.

Jun Hyuk’s name started to float around the internet as the Kang Dong Won of Misari.

[TN]: Kang Dong Won – Famous korean actor

Once customers started uploading videos of Jun Hyuk playing the piano on blogs and YouTube, even high school girls started to come to the cafe and Yoon Kwang Hun was forced to put up a sign forbidding entry to minors.

As the views on the videos went up, more customers came to visit the cafe, and entertainment agencies eventually started to approach them. They didn’t care for Jun Hyuk’s piano playing. They had come to see his long arms and legs, and his small and handsome face – something that would sell to the general public.

“Sir, I would like to introduce myself.”

The same words always followed after the business cards.

“Can I meet the pianist?”

When the people from the entertainment agencies saw Jun Hyuk in his t-shirt and jeans, they burst out in admiration.

“Wow… Even his look is enough.”

“Goodness. He would look so cool next to Kang Dong Won.”

Jun Hyuk’s height was not noticeable in the videos. He had gone through a growth spurt over the past two years – aided by the fact that Yoon Kwang Hun always made sure that he was fed. It was obvious that they were interested in Jun Hyuk.

 

“There’s an idol band that our company is trying to debut. We were thinking of a 5-member group and if Jun Hyuk were to join, it would be a huge success. He does look a little older though.”

“Excuse me. He’s still a minor.”

“A minor? How old is he?”

“17.”

“Really? He looks like he could be 20. Even better. For idol singers these days, 20 is a bit old.”

Entertainment agencies only liked the children to be younger because the 20 year olds were not unconditionally obedient.

 

“Okay, so what genre is that new group you’re making? Hip hop? Electronic?”

“Mostly hip hop, but they do a little bit of everything. If he joins, I can see them singing a ballad with him on the piano.”

These guys did not have an ear for music. They might as well be deaf. They were spewing garbage after hearing the instrumental that Jun Hyuk had just improvised of Kim Kwang Suk’s song.

The nerve of them to suggest being a pretty idol singer to a young genius who is to be lauded as the Beethoven or Mozart of the 21st century.

“But there is one problem.”

“Yes. What is it?”

“As you can see, our Jun Hyuk’s piano ability is at a high level, but he cannot sing.”

“Gosh, it would be a scam if he could sing with that face. Don’t worry about it. There is already a main vocal, so there won’t be any problem.”

“I understand. I’ll think about it and let you know.”

Yoon Kwang Hun mollified the agency employees as though they were children. He did not reject them on the spot for fear they would come back and bother him. Since then, a few more entertainment agencies came with the same praises and promises of stardom and left.

There were entertainment agencies at different levels of course. For the past few days, it seemed as though there had been a new regular but a man most likely in his thirties came looking for Yoon Kwang Hun.

“Hello. I am Choi Jang Hyuk of SN Entertainment.”

The title on his business card was that of Producer.

“I have been listening to this boy’s piano performances for the past few days. Is he by chance receiving a formal education?”

 

“No, he is self-taught. He is receiving lessons these days to learn the basics of piano, though.”

“That’s impressive. I mean, that he can improvise any song regardless of its genre.”

Choi Jang Hyuk could not hide his surprise, but Yoon Kwang Hun was more surprised by the SN written on the business card.

“If you say SN, do you mean the SN that we know?”

“Ha ha. Yes. There’s only one SN.”

[TN]: SN Entertainment is one of the biggest entertainment companies in korea.

“Are you trying to make Jun Hyuk an idol singer?”

“No. I haven’t seen him sing… In our company, singing ability is the minimum requirement. If he hasn’t received formal training, that means he’s 100% talent… With this talent, he’s a genius.”

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that it was the best in the country. It was a company with someone who could recognize talent at first glance. Only, they did not know the depth of that talent.

“So the thing is, we would like to train Jun Hyuk. What do you think?”

“Train him?”

“Yes. Actually, idol singers and girl bands are not the real mainstay of our company. It’s because we have a lot of distinguished composers, arrangers, and producers. We would like to train Jun Hyuk as a producer. Of course we’ll teach him composition as well.”

Who are they saying is teaching who? What expression would they have if they saw the songs Jun Hyuk had written so far? He wanted to show Jun Hyuk’s symphonies to these composers who wrote 3 minute hook songs filled with sound effects created by machines.

 

“Thank you for the thought, but I would like to let him live freely for now. He has plenty of time to learn as he’s only 17 years old.”

“17? Is that true? I thought he was at least 20.”

“I know. He’s grown so much over the last two years.”

SN Producer Choi Jang Hyuk seemed lost in his thoughts for a moment and did not speak. Once he opened his mouth, his words were entirely unforeseen.

“What if we do this? We’ll write a recommendation so Jun Hyuk can enroll in university for music. Of course we’ll pay his full tuition. He can come work for our company after.”

A long-term investment? The prejudices Yoon Kwang Hun had held against entertainment agencies all came crashing down. He had perceived them as people who took young children who were attractive and forced them to make money.

“Thank you for the offer. I don’t want to decide Jun Hyuk’s future just yet. I plan on letting him live freely. If our fates cross again, I’m sure something will work out.”

Most parents in Korea would be so grateful they would be speechless if SN offered to train their child, but this man was very different. Choi Jang Hyuk had thought of Yoon Kwang Hun as a simple cafe owner, but he was surprised by the unexpected reaction he was receiving.

“I see. That’s a good idea. Anyway, I’ll leave my business card with you. Please contact me if you need me. I’ll come at any time.”

What will Jun Hyun’s fate be??


	18. Volume 1 / Chapter 17

Volume 1 / Chapter 17

TL: LightNovelCafe

Bothersome entertainment agencies gradually stopped coming, and women who claimed they wrote for broadcast stations began to visit the cafe.

“Hello, sir. I’m Kim Ji Young, I’m a writer for channel MV.”

“Oh, yes.”

“May I meet this internet star pianist?”

“Why are you asking for him?”

Yoon Kwang Hun had the passing thought that she wanted to make some gossip show using Jun Hyuk’s handsome face.

“Have you by chance heard of a program called ‘Tomorrow’s Star’?” It’s very famous. Ho ho.”

“Are you talking about the audition show?”

“Yes, that’s the program. This is its fifth year, fifth season. We will be accepting contestant applications soon.”

“And?”

“The pianist… Right, what’s his name?”

“It’s Jun Hyuk.”

“Yes, we were wondering if Jun Hyuk would participate.”

“No. We aren’t really interested in auditioning…..”

“No, don’t think about it that way.”

“That’s not it. Our Jun Hyuk cannot sing.”

“Oh, is that true?”

Three of these writers did not show disappointment that Jun Hyuk could not sing. It was as if they had no interest in his singing.

So what exactly did they want?


	19. Chapter 19

Volume 1 / Chapter 18

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Did you find some good kids?”

The ‘Tomorrow’s Star” crew was scouring the internet in search of performers who could become topics of conversation this season. They interviewed people who had potential to catch interest to see if there was a story to tell. If the growth story and singing skill surpassed expectations, they extended an invitation to audition.

It was enough if there was even a minute story. The writers could blow up that story so it would be suitable to air on the program.

Season 2 of ‘Tomorrow’s Star” had hit jackpot.

The winner of season 2, Heo Jun of Kyeonggi-do, Bucheon dreamt of being a singer while making a scanty living cleaning windows of large buildings. Short, chubby, and in no way considered attractive, he came out on top on singing ability alone and won $200,000.

The dramatic reversal story was that he was competing against 2nd place James Park, a 2nd generation Korean American.

 

2nd place James Park was the son of a successful businessman in America, at the time attending a prestigious university, and very handsome.

Up to this point was the reversal story that aired on broadcast. The reality?

1st place Heo Jun had an affiliated agency before his appearance on the program. The agency was small and only had a couple singers specializing in event performances. Heo Jun’s main source of income came from the money earned for singing at local events. Of course the pay was not generous.

Washing windows had been just one of the many part time jobs he had taken when he did not have many performances lined up. The writers were the ones who had inflated it to create a reversal story.

He was a good enough singer to be in 1st place. Once they were down to the top 3 contestants however, any one of them could have been the winner without question.

1st place was ultimately an issue of contract conditions. Who laid out the conditions more favorable to the broadcasting station? This was the decisive factor in determining 1st place.

Heo Jun’s company forfeited most of his profits to take this once-in-a-lifetime chance. When he debuted his first album, it blew up on the three main channels, cable music channels, and digital charts, also taking 1st place on all 3 main music programs.

Of course the broadcasting station took most of the profits that came from this. Only in principle was the $200,000 prize money a predecessor to the revenue the singer would make from selling his debut album.

These contract terms are never revealed to the viewers.


	20. Chapter 20

Volume 1 / Chapter 19

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Senior, take a look at this.”

“What is it?”

“There’s a boy who isn’t very famous, but is steadily gaining popularity. He’s called the pianist of Misari…..”

“Misari? Ha ha. He better not be an old man.”

The junior writer pushed her laptop over.

“What do you think?”

“Ha ha! What is this guy? Is he Won Bin’s little brother?”

[TN] Won Bin is an actor in Korea – famous for his good looks

The main writer of ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ watched the 5 minute video to the very end and pat the junior writer’s head.

“Our junior hit something big. Ho ho.”

“What do you think of the piano? I don’t know much about that.”

“Why weigh on it? He’s playing classical music. With that face, he could play ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ and it would be okay.”

The writers felt as though they had caught the biggest fish of the year. Without delay, they went to the cafe.


	21. Chapter 21

Volume 1 / Chapter 20

TL: LightNovelCafe

Upon hearing Yoon Kwang Hun’s response that Jun Hyuk could not sing, the writers held an impromptu meeting in the corner.

“Won’t he be okay until the team mission?”

“Exactly. He won’t make it to the top 10, but shouldn’t we have enough to air about him before them?

“Exactly! If he just goes on broadcast, he’ll be more popular than the top 10. We’ll have to push his story as much as possible before the main missions and change the direction later to that of a pianist.”

“Pianist?”

“These girls! You need to think a little. Once the program ends, we can make him go on variety shows and the game’s over when he plays the piano. Entertainment agencies will come flooding in to pick him up. They probably won’t give the winner a second look.”

The broadcast writers did not pay attention to Yoon Kwang Hun and spoke amongst themselves excitedly.

“Excuse me… “

“Yes? Oh, sorry. We were chatting too much on our own, right?”

“Sorry, but most of the agencies have already come with scouting offers.”

 

“Yes, we know. We figured it would be so. But if he gets popular on our show, the contract conditions change.”

“Contract conditions?”

“Yes. To start, you wouldn’t have to pay the advance fee.”

“Advance fee?”

“Oh, you don’t know about this stuff. A scouting offer doesn’t mean that they’ll just debut the child.”

As soon as Yoon Kwang Hun showed interest, the main writer took the opportunity and started explaining in detail.

“These days, it takes 5 to 7 years to debut an idol group. The costs alone come out to at least $500,000. When there are a lot of members, it’ll reach over $1 million. So they take about $40,000 to $50,000 per person.

 

“I heard people like that who take money from the kids are scammers. That proper companies don’t demand any money…..”

All of the writers burst out in laughter at Yoon Kwang Hun’s words.

“No, all agencies are the same. The fees for vocal training and dance lessons alone are incredible. And how much are the costs for creating and marketing a debut album? Even after they debut, it’s not like they start making money right away.”

“Among girl groups awaiting their debuts, there are even girls whose parents have invested $10,000 to $20,000 to have them placed in their groups.”

“Only the main member of the group won’t have to pay the company. Instead, she’ll basically be under a slave contract.”

Looking at Yoon Kwang Hun sitting silently with his eyes wide open, the main writer thought that her plan had succeeded.

“So if he goes on our show and presents himself well, you won’t have to pay the advance fee and he can skip years of training.”

She emphasized that it would not cost him anything, but Yoon Kwang Hun’s expression went back to that of apathy.

“I see. Anyway, I understand. I’ll talk to Jun Hyuk and get back in contact, but don’t hold your expectations. Jun Hyuk doesn’t have intentions to become a star or an idol singer.”

The writers had to leave without interviewing Jun Hyuk.

Do you think Yoon Kwang Hun fell for the agency lady’s lies?

Stay tuned….


	22. Chapter 22

Volume 1 / Chapter 21

TL: LightNovelCafe

When the writers left, Jun Hyuk slowly approached Yoon Kwang Hun.

“Boss.”

“Yea. What?”

“Should… should I go out on that show?”

“What? What show?”

“The audition program. ‘Tomorrow’s Star’.”

“Why? Why would you go on that?”

“From what I heard, the prize money is $500,000?”

Did he want the $500,000 prize money? Jun Hyuk had not revealed any concerns regarding money so far. It seemed like he had only been thinking of music, but had he been hiding it all this time?

Yoon Kwang Hun was slightly taken aback by this unfamiliar aspect of Jun Hyuk.

 

“But that show picks singers. You need to sing… Do you sing well? To think about it, I’ve never heard you sing.”

“I don’t need to sing. The piano or guitar is enough, don’t you think?”

“Without singing? I’m pretty sure that won’t do. Ha ha.”

“Geez. You still don’t know me? You know how these ladies wet themselves over my piano performances.”

“This kid. Talking like that again… Didn’t I tell you to watch the way you speak? People care a lot about manners in the classical world. You can’t reach the top anyway. Didn’t you hear those women earlier? They’re only putting you on the air until they reach the top 10. The prize money goes to the person in 1st place.”

At the words that only the 1st place winner receives prize money, Jun Hyuk stopped talking. Yoon Kwang Hun started to wonder about Jun Hyuk’s intentions. It seemed that to this day, he had only looked at Jun Hyuk through his musical talent. Only now 17 years old, it was an age to have a lot of interest in stars and celebrities, but he had forgotten because of the music.

 

“Jun Hyuk. What do you think? Do you want to become an idol singer?”

“I don’t care. I’m okay with anything as long as I can make music.”

“Okay. I’ll make it so that you can dedicate yourself to music in the best environment. Just wait a little.”

“Excuse me? No, it’s okay. I think that this right now is the best environment.”

Jun Hyuk wavered for a moment and started to say what had been on his heart.

“You changed the piano, drum set, electric guitar, everything to the best for me. Haven’t you spent more than $100,000?

“What are you talking about? No, that’s not it. What money do I have?”

 

“I know hangul and english now. I looked it all up. Everything. It was all really expensive.”

“So? Are you trying to go on the audition show to make back the money for the instruments?”

“There’s that and…..”

From the way his words trailed off, it was evident that he wanted to give the audition a try. He must have wanted to see how he was compared to other people’s music and talent. Yoon Kwang Hun also thought that it would not be a bad idea for Jun Hyuk to meet children with musical talents that differed from his own.

“Then watch the last season. If you still want to go on it after you watch it, go. I’m sure it’ll be fine. It’s an experience.”

There was something that Jun Hyuk did not know. An orphan abandoned by his parents as soon as he was born. A pitiful child who had lived on the streets since the age of 5 and who had suffered all types of jarring experiences. Also as attractive as an actor and possessing innate musicality.

The broadcasting station and public would not pay attention to Jun Hyuk’s music, but concentrate more on his intriguing story.

It was worrisome that this might hurt him.

What will happen to Jun Hyuk now?


	23. Chapter 23

Volume 1 / Chapter 22

TL: LightNovelCafe

The broadcasting station received over a million application video clips, but the number of people who actually qualified was under 1%.

Of this already small number, it was the ones who were already known on the internet or known by word of mouth that had the most spots on the list. The anonymous applicants were just checked casually to see if they had anything unique in their resumes and weren’t really given too much attention. They started by choosing the applicants with unusual histories or funny videos. Because this was entertainment. More than talent, it was important to find something they could sell.

After filtering through the 1st round, thousands of applicants went to the gymnasium or auditorium in their respective areas. These locations were filled with booths set up for each applicant to show off their talents and try to make it to the next round. The broadcasting station’s goal was to find qualifying participants in each area who were cool, admirable, or funny. Search for any real musical talent or ability was a farce. If it could sell, they wanted it – whether they could sing, dance, perform, or not.

 

On the day of the preliminary area qualifier, Jun Hyuk went to the auditorium with his acoustic guitar. When he arrived, the young writer he met last time came running out.

“Welcome Jun Hyuk. Come this way.”

It was obvious he was drooling at the marketable young boy.

In the waiting room the young writer led him to the main writer, Production Chief ,Kim Ki Sik and a well-dressed middle-aged woman who looked as though she had made countless men cry in her youth. The two had been holding a meeting.

“Producer Kim, this is the piano genius we told you about. This is Jang Jun Hyuk.”

Producer Kim Ki Shik was already at a loss for words. He could not take his eyes from the long curly hair, tall height, and well proportioned body. Now this. This is he could sell. This would bring viewers!

 

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m the producer in charge of ‘Tomorrow’s Star’.”

“Yes.”

Jun Hyuk awkwardly shook Producer Kim Ki Shik’s hand lightly and let go.

“We have great expectations for you because you most definitely stand out. Anyway, we’re going to make you and the top 10 the main focus until Star Week. Of course the top 10 varies, but the candidates we predict usually make it into the top 10.”

Jun Hyuk seemed to be half-listening, but Producer Kim kept chatting.

“Since you can’t sing, becoming one of the finalists will be difficult. This program does run on singing.”

 

Jun Hyuk only nodded his head. A person’s voice was just another instrument, but he could not understand why they made such a differentiation. Songs with lyrics just had text that made it easier to deliver. Ultimately, it was just a relaying of emotion and this could be fully accomplished with a melody from an instrument.

“And since you don’t speak very much, what do you think of going with a chic concept?”

“Chic?”

“Meaning when you’re going through screening and when you’re with the other contestants, you act indifferent and a little annoyed. Maybe even a little snobby?”

The writer next to him pitched in,

“With your image, you have to act a little snobby to look more attractive. We should go with a rebellious image and not that of the kind protagonist in a romantic cartoon.”

Jun Hyuk had no idea what these people were talking about. It wasn’t like they were filming a soap opera, but what was all of this with concept and protagonist?

“Jun Hyuk is naturally chic. You won’t have to worry about it. Jun Hyuk, just be yourself.”

The young writer sensed Jun Hyuk’s discomfort and spoke up again.

“But why the guitar? Aren’t you playing the piano today?”

 

Producer Kim had already placed a grand piano in the screening room, but there was a guitar case hanging from Jun Hyuk’s back.

“No, I’m going to play the guitar today.”

Producer Kim could not hide his inconvenience. He had already imagined him playing the piano, and a guitar did not have as much impact.

He did look forward to the expectation that Jun Hyuk would sing since he brought out an acoustic guitar.

“What’s the song you prepared for today?”

“I haven’t thought about it yet…..”

“What? Didn’t you bring the guitar to sing a song?”

“No.”

Producer Kim thought that it was an error in judgment to hang their expectations on a kid like this who did whatever he wanted. He even had the thought that with one mistake, they might have to edit out all of Jun Hyuk’s air time.

All that was remaining was to see how they could sell his looks.

After sending Jun Hyuk from the room, the middle-aged woman who had been silent turned towards Producer Kim.

“Producer Kim. Now that I look at you, you have an eye for seeing talent. How did you find him?”

 

“Our youngest writer found him. What do you think? You think he’ll be any good?”

“Any good? You’ve hit jackpot. Great, our XOR will sponsor on the condition that he makes it into Star Week no matter what.”

The Marketing Director of Korea’s representative casual brand XOR was already thinking of how to use Jun Hyuk as the model for their new line.

“Oh, Director. How can I decide that? There are other kids who can be used so…”

“Are you crazy? We just found a kid who could stand on the runway now and you want me to use something recycled?”

In contrast with the smiling Producer Kim Ki Sik, she held a straight face and waved her hand as if he said something ludicrous.

“Let’s do it like this, Producer Kim.”

“Yes, Director.”

“If you don’t think that child can make it to Star Week, pass him over to us now.”

“Excuse me?”

“It wouldn’t be a bad idea to make him our exclusive model altogether. He’ll need to have talent as a model of course.”

“So you want to have priority over him?”

“Exactly.”

“Then the sponsorship?”

“If that boy signs a contract with us, we’ll go through with the sponsorship. How does that sound?”

Jun Hyuk’s opinions were unimportant. No teenager in Korea would turn down this opportunity to be made into a model or celebrity.

“As is expected of you, Director. I’ll arrange for a meeting with the legal team.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik gave her a thumbs up.

But Jun Hyuk was not other kids. How would he react to this new idea?


	24. Chapter 24

Volume 1 / Chapter 23

TL: LightNovelCafe

The waiting room was full of tension and anxiety pumping from the hundreds of applicants. As Jang Jun Hyuk walked in, all eyes turned to him. The female candidates’ wonder and male candidates’ jealousy could all be felt at once.

The attention paid to Jun Hyuk only lasted a moment, and everyone went back to practicing for the audition.

Jun Hyuk plopped down on an empty chair and started tuning his acoustic guitar. Once he was finished tuning the guitar, he had nothing left to do. Naturally, the sounds nearby came into his ears.

“What’s with that bastard?”

“You can’t tell by looking at him? Some entertainment agency sent him. He must be a member of some idol group preparing to debut. They just sent out the best looking kid to gain attention.”

Jun Hyuk heard the two teenagers complaining because of the song they had just been singing.

 

It seemed like a self-written song. Jun Hyuk heard the rap for the first time and because the beat was alive, his ears had tuned to it.

Jun Hyuk put a finger on his guitar, and started playing the rap he just heard very quietly. No one paid him any attention because it was a simple rhythm, but the two boys reacted differently.

They were astonished that this annoying kid was playing their original song on his guitar.

The simple melody and rhythm went on for about 2 minutes and when they could no longer hear it, the two boys’ expressions changed from surprise to embarrassment. It had clearly sounded like their song, but the second half of the song was completely different.

“By chance, is the song you just played on the guitar our song?”

The two approached Jun Hyuk to check and he nodded nonchalantly.

“It seemed a little different… was it not?”

“Isn’t this better? I changed it a little because it sounded a bit flat.”

“No, no. You’re right. It sounded way better…..”

Jun Hyuk chuckled at the two boys stuttering in surprise.

“Can we ask you to play that again?”

The two rappers asked cautiously and Jun Hyuk held his guitar again.

“The beat is too fast. I lowered the BPM to 130, so try to match that.”

 

Jun Hyuk played the guitar with a percussion rhythm and the two rappers matched it, murmuring.

Jun Hyuk stopped playing all of a sudden and spoke,

“There isn’t much time, so just do it as if this were the real evaluation.”

As the music started again, the two boys rapped freely. After repeating it two, then three times, they fully memorized the beat and could not stop smiling at Jun Hyuk, forgetting that they had been complaining about him.

“Excuse me… Would we be able to…”

After the two rappers learned the beat Jun Hyuk altered for them, they had trouble speaking and hesitated. Jun Hyuk saw this and smiled as he spoke.

“It’s okay. If you like this, you can use it.”

They bowed to Jun Hyuk and hurried off.

The person who was most surprised was not the rapper, but the VJ in charge of Jun Hyuk. The general producer had given him a special order to stick to Jun Hyuk.

He took his camera and ran to Producer Kim Ki Sik.

“Excuse me, Producer. Will you take a look at this?”

Producer Kim saw the tape and moaned with delight.

“Wow! This kid is a total catch.”

“Right? This is…..”

“And he’s no joke on the guitar. That rhythm… You’re saying he heard those rappers practicing for a moment and made this, right?”

“Yes. I couldn’t even really hear those rappers practicing.”

 

The regret he felt when he saw the guitar instead of the piano had already disappeared. He only just remembered Jun Hyuk’s improvisation skill on the piano as it had been shrouded by his handsome face. This boy might be beyond his imagination.

“If you see something good like this while you’re filming, come show me right away as you did now. We need to get interviews.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik ran to the judges’ waiting room with the videos of Jun Hyuk playing the piano at the cafe and the clip he just saw. Lee Sung Chul (who was recognized as the best vocalist in Korea, a former girl group member (who had be a popularity zenith about 10 years ago), and a successful composer (who would not be recognized by the average person) were chatting in the waiting room.

Immediately after they watched the tape that Producer Kim showed them, the composer snapped his fingers and said,

“He learned classical music.”

“Classical?”

“Yes, you can tell by his hands. All 10 fingers are stuck to the keyboard. This is difficult without training. He has for sure received lessons to fix his bad habits.”

Producer Kim handed over a couple sheets of paper.

“This is this kid’s story. He’s only 17 years old and it’s as though he’s filmed a full-blown soap opera.”

Lee Sung Chul looked over Jun Hyuk’s whole story and spoke,

“But why this song?”

“Unfortunately, he can’t sing.”

Lee Sung Chul threw the paper he was holding.

“Then it’s the end. What is he going to do without singing?”

“That’s why we were just thinking of taking him to Star Week. And from the guitar he brought with him, it seems like he might be thinking of singing an easy song…..”

“So? You’re asking us to give him leeway?”

“Yes. Ha ha.”

Unlike the disdainful Lee Sung Chul, the composer showed interest.

“It’s a remarkable talent if he could improvise this rap after hearing it from afar… Why did this kid come out on this program? If he just studies for a few more years, he could become one of the best composers or arrangers.”

“It would be a waste to hide this face in a studio. He would be able to debut as an idol singer right away with just a little preparation. Add the piano to that, and he’s all set to go out on professional broadcasts. Don’t you think that’s what he’s going after?”

With the female singer’s driving words, they settled the preliminaries.


	25. Chapter 25

Volume 1 / Chapter 24

TL: LightNovelCafe

When it was his turn, Jun Hyuk went into the temporary studio that had been turned into the panel room. The only face he knew amongst the judges was that of Lee Sung Chul.

“Hi Jang Jun Hyuk. It says here that you’re 17 years old.”

“Hm… It says that you’re an orphan in your introduction… and that you’ve never attended school?”

“Yes.”

The female singer took over Lee Sung Chul’s questioning,

“Does that mean you’re living in an institution now?”

“No. I work and live at a cafe.”

“Cafe?”

“Yes. There’s a cafe in Misari.”

The female singer already looked ready to spill tears with a pitiful expression and only needed to hear a bit more of this sad story to do so.

“It says here that you wandered the streets after you got lost at age 5…..”

 

Jun Hyuk stared blankly at the female singer. She continued to speak because she thought that they had not understood each other.

“Tell us how you lived while on the streets…”

“Excuse me.”

“Yes.”

The camera had already closed in on Jun Hyuk’s face and the mic had been lowered to catch his wretched and sad childhood story.

“Isn’t this a place where we’re judged by our music? Why are you asking me about my past?”

Everyone in the room froze. The three judges and the production crew could only blink while the audition contestants sat with their jaws dropped.

 

All of their expressions were saying the same thing.

How could he be so daring in front of the judges?

Only the producer in charge of the program balled up his fists.

‘That’s right. This is it. This is what we need. Something new. Fresh. Spunky!’

There had been no need to request a chic personality from him. He was naturally chic, though he was not sure if it was due to his looks, music, or rough childhood.

Unlike the other children who suffered under the pressure, he had made everyone nervous within 5 minutes.

 

The female singer was speechless at Jun Hyuk’s bold retort and so veteran Lee Sung Chul took the mic.

“That’s right, music is everything. I am expecting your talent to be as great as you are bold.”

Brother, drag it out a big longer.

The producer’s desperate request came through the earphones, but Lee Sung Chul ignored it entirely. He had seen countless children who mistakenly believed that they had a great talent. He thought that things like this kids’ attractive looks, advanced piano skill, and mediocre arranging skills had made him arrogant.

It was necessary to judge these types of kids ruthlessly so that they would look back at themselves and try harder. Though of course there were many kids who could not even do that.

Lee Sung Chul readied himself to give criticism and invective.

“Judging by the guitar you brought, it seems like you’ll be singing a folk song… Okay, what song did you prepare?”

“Jung Tae Chun’s ‘Poet’s Town’.”

Upon hearing the name Jung Tae Joon, the 3 judges and the young contestants watching the waiting room monitor began to murmur.

“Jung Tae Chun?”

“Who’s Jung Tae Chun?”

“I don’t know.”

Even in the studio, there were not very many people who remembered Jung Tae Chun. Lee Sung Chul and the composer were the only people to remember Jung Tae Joon’s lyricism that had stirred up the 70s.

Producer Kim pushed the staff urgently,

“Look it up quickly. What year is this song from?”

“It was released in 1978.”

As soon as the staff searched the song’s history on the internet, the producer quickly spoke into the mic,

“Brother, it’s from 1978.”

Lee Sung Chul who had heard the information via the earphone needed to provide lip service to the viewers.

“Was it 1978 for Jung Tae Chun’s ‘Poet’s Town’? I think it was released around then… A teenager singing a song that’s almost 40 years old? Wow.”

 

The composer continued with Lee Sung Chul’s light banter,

“Will you be able to capture the emotion of a song that was created more than 20 years before you were born and is 10 years before your generation? We look forward to it.”

Jun Hyuk started playing the guitar after placing it on his lap and breathing in gently.

Everyone’s expressions were full of expectation as the soft guitar prelude came out. Could this teenager remake this song that only their parents’ generation could know? How would he express Jung Tae Chun’s heavy tone of longing? This kid’s voice did not have the suited huskiness to it yet.

However, everyone’s expectations collapsed.

As the 10-second prelude ended, the suspense-filled judges became bemused. Instead of singing the lyrics ‘Open the window hm – and look out,’ his 10 fingers started dancing smoothly on the guitar strings.

For the 4 minutes following, there was no voice to be heard and only the melody of the acoustic guitar. When the last of the steady fingering came to an end, the only sound in the studio was the rustling of Jun Hyuk placing his guitar back in its case.

While the three judges sat blankly unable to speak, the producer could be heard shouting urgently through the earphones,

“What are you all doing? You have to talk!”

The first person to speak was the female singer.

“Isn’t there someone on the internet who plays the guitar similarly? Jung Sung Hwa? It sounded to be at that level.”

“We’re very different.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said that we’re very different.”

The singer could not speak, baffled by Jun Hyuk’s snappy replies, and the composer took the mic,

“It is the finger style, but you put in a lot of sliding.”

“Yes.”

“I also get a much rougher sense… I think it would have been better to play this on an electric guitar.”

Jun Hyuk formed a small smile as though he appreciated that there was a person who could hear properly.

 

“First off, the guitar technique is top level. Most teenagers concentrate on playing the faster components, but Jun Hyuk focused on saving the sentiment of the music. We could say that you were gifted as a guitarist. It was a good performance.”

Lee Sung Chul was the last to speak after the composer’s commentary ended.

“Performing an instrumental is taking a great risk. You are starting with a limitation by forfeiting the delivery provided by lyrics and relying solely on the sound of the instrument. Why did you choose to do an instrumental when it’s such a disadvantage?”

“Because I handle the guitar much better than my voice.”

“You’re saying you play the guitar better than you sing?”

“Basically.’

The producer discovered the smile that had momentarily appeared on the monitor.

‘That kid. He’s being cocky. To the judges and the evaluation.’

He pressed the switch on the mic and yelled,

“Brother, push him more. We need to get a full idea of how cheeky he can be.”

“It isn’t that you can’t sing?”

“A classic guitarist can perform for an hour merely with a guitar, but there is no vocalist who can sing for an hour without accompanying music. There needs to be a piano playing at the bare minimum because the human voice is an imperfect instrument.”

Lee Sung Chul, who had proudly been lauded as the best vocalist throughout his entire life, was left speechless.

“John Lennon’s music can be considered masterpieces, but John Lennon doesn’t sing so well that he gives people goosebumps, does he?”

He had never heard of such insolence. How could a teenager like this pass judgment on John Lennon?

Lee Sung Chul however showed a completely different reaction to Jun Hyuk’s assessment of John Lennon because they were the exact words that he had said on air.

“That’s right. Anyone who wants to make music needs to have his own set of standards. I would like to hear another guitar performance from you, except on the premise that you play in a wholly different style. What do you think? If you pass this round, can you show us a completely different performance?”

“I can play the ‘Poet’s Town I just played in a different style right now. Do you want to hear it?”

“Producer Lee, let’s stop for a second.”

Lee Sung Chul asked to stop recording at Jun Hyuk’s provocative actions. The monitor that the contestants were watching as well as the mic were turned off.

“Wow. That bastard is trouble, isn’t he?”

“Yeah. Arrogance to that extent is an illness.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik who had been watching the stunned contestants outside came running in.

“Alright. Let’s hear it. Let’s see how good you are. Go ahead and play it.”

At Lee Sung Chul’s order, Jun Hyuk pulled out his guitar and started playing again.

Lee Sung Chul and the other judges, the producer and staff did not realize that 30 minutes had passed until after they had heard eight different versions of ‘Poet’s Town’.

The composer was the most astonished. He did not have the confidence to create eight completely different versions of a song even if he were given a month’s time.

This child however, accomplished this difficult task impromptu. Moreover, without modifying once. Even if he had anticipated this situation and come prepared, each song was impressive.

Lee Sung Chul wanted to work with Jun Hyuk as an arranger for his next album, the composer wanted to see his ability to create music, and Producer Kim had the feeling that he had caught the biggest fish of the season.

Jun Hyuk found them inadequate as they were showing such excitement and surprise over such a simple and easy feat.

What is going on?!


	26. Chapter 26

Volume 1 / Chapter 25

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Shouldn’t we get the contract in advance?”

“We need to. I’m thinking of selling the song he played today, too.”

When the southern Kyeonggi Province preliminaries ended, the production crew had the intuition that Jun Hyuk’s music would make history. They first needed to make sure they were on contract if they wanted to get the money from the sales.

“More importantly, you know today’s judge Cho Eun Young, right?”

“Yeah.”

“She wanted to release a remake single.”

“Ha ha. Why suddenly a song?”

“It seemed she had tact and intuition. She just wants to get noticed along with Jun Hyuk.”

“Will Jung Tae Chun permit a remake of his song? It’s been a while since he’s lived in seclusion. He won’t be up for a former girl group member turned fashionista or whatever she is singing his song. Don’t you think so?”

“Cho Eun Young knows that too. She’s asking us to make it happen in exchange for all of the profits made from the song.”

“Keke. She’s thinking she can get a permanent spot on some variety show if she can just make this song popular. Demand at events will increase too.”

“That’s right. She’s really clever in that area.”

“Since it’s something we’ll have to do anyway, let’s rush it a bit. Let’s arrange a meeting with the legal team first… Tell them to make sure they get Jun Hyuk to sign the contract.”


	27. Chapter 27

Volume 1 / Chapter 26

TL: LightNovelCafe

As soon as Jun Hyuk entered the cafe the day after he participated in the preliminaries, there were two men waiting for him.

“Hello. We are from MV channel’s legal team.”

“Legal team?”

“Yes. We came to go over your contract.”

They passed a packet over the table. Yoon Kwang Hun did not pick up the contract and waited for them to speak.

“There isn’t much to it. There will be some issues with the digital tracks once ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ starts, dealing with copyrights and arrangement fees. Lastly, it explains how the digital sales will be handled. Since you’re Jun Hyuk’s guardian, all you have to do is sign it.”

“Okay. I’ll look over it and get back in contact.”

Yoon Kwang Hun spoke without touching the contract on the table.

“Excuse me?”

“I can’t just sign a contract, can I? I said I’ll look over it and let you know.”

“Sir, there really isn’t much to it. And it’s hard to continue with the broadcast without this contract.”

“That means Jun Hyuk can’t participate, right?”

“Yes because copyright issues are always very sensitive.”

“Exactly. It isn’t possible for the information to be simple if it’s such a sensitive issue, is it? I’ll look over it and call you again tomorrow.”

 

The contract surely contained a lot of unfair points. Kids who were desperate to become stars signed these contracts without looking at it because they would not be allowed to appear on the show without it.

The broadcast’s legal team could never have anticipated that Jun Hyuk was not one of those kids who were desperate to become famous and that Yoon Kwang Hun was not an ordinary cafe owner.

“Sir, you don’t have to sign right away. However, if you read it now and have any questions, we can go over them with you. Wouldn’t that be better?”

Yoon Kwang Hun skipped the general information on the contract and read carefully through the section concerning revenues.

The contract contents were abominable. The best way to make sense of it was to say that their intentions were to stick a straw in Jun Hyuk.

 

“What is this here? Is it saying that after the broadcast ends, 20% of what Jun Hyuk makes for the next two years goes to the station?”

“Ah, yes. If Jun Hyuk becomes a star, it would be because of our station.”

“Outside of music as well? This is saying that even if he shoots an advertisement, 20% of that will also be shared?”

“Yes. Wouldn’t that also be attributed to our program?”

That was not the end of it. It also said that the station would hold distribution rights to Jun Hyuk’s songs for three years after. Yoon Kwang Hun did not say more about this section.

They would need a distributor anyway and MV channel was top-tier.

 

However, he could not help but ask when an unforeseen item appeared.

“What are arrangement fees? Jun Hyuk will end up improvising existing songs to sing or play. The station will be taking all of the royalties?”

The legal team answered as if they had been waiting for this.

“Ah, let us explain that part. What goes on air is the contestant arranging the music to sing, but really, professionals are assigned to them. The experts are the ones who arrange the songs perfectly to fit the contestants. Consider it for a moment. Without being a genius, it would be impossible for them to perfectly arrange their mission songs in a matter of hours.”

“So that means pre-selected songs have already been arranged and the contestants only practice them?”

In other words, it meant that the contestants only sang what the station ordered them to.

“Ha ha. Well the song selection isn’t something that our legal team deals with, but it is true that specialists are used in arranging the songs.”

The man on the legal team spoke quickly as he saw Yoon Kwang Hun’s disapproving countenance,

“Excuse me, sir. All contestants of ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ signed this contract over the last five years without exception. Jun Hyuk passed the preliminaries, but he will be edited out completely and we’ll make it as though none of this had happened if this contract isn’t signed.”

“Okay, do that.”

“Excuse me.”

“Didn’t you say that you would make it as though none of this had happened? I’m telling you to do it.”

There is a weak party when negotiating a contract. If MV channel has approached Jun Hyuk with a contract the day after the audition, it means that they were resolved not to lose him.

Tomorrow’s events were unpredictable with Jun Hyuk. He did not want this contract to put Jun Hyuk in a situation where the station was reaping all of the profit for his skill.

Yoon Kwang Hun was also not in a place to sign the contract because he was not Jun Hyuk’s guardian by law.

Will Jun Hyuk sign? Will the MV channel get their evil way? What will happen now?!


	28. Chapter 28

Volume 1 / Chapter 27

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Producer Kim, the legal team called and Jun Hyuk has refused to sign the contract.”

“What?”

“The cafe owner looked at the contract and said that it was unfair to them… They completely took it apart and sent it back but…..”

“But what?”

“It says that they’ll share the profits of only the music that goes out on our program and nothing else.”

“Geez. They’re saying they have the upper hand, are they? He’s trying to make as much off of the kid as he can. Shit.”

 

Producer Kim Ki Sik did not want to lose Jun Hyuk. He knew that it was hard to find a musician of this level, not a singer.

He wanted to examine his intuition again.

“Producer Kim, today’s not the day. It feels like we’re holding auditions for the national talent show. How come there’s no one useful?”

The program’s main music producer was grumbling about the contestants’ low potential as if it were the producer’s fault.

“Brother, there’s not one good person?”

“Why are you asking when you know? That handsome kid. The guitar performance.”

“You’re talking about Jun Hyuk?”

“Shit, I cried. How could that kind of emotion come out of a guitar?”

“Then you know those rappers from yesterday? The duet group from Pyeongtaek. What do you think of them?”

 

“Oh yeah, those kids were good. The guitar and those two stood out the most.”

“Jun Hyuk heard that rap once and arranged the music for them. He changed the chorus a little bit too.”

“Really? After hearing it once?”

“I’m telling you that’s what happened. And that’s after he just happened to hear them practicing next to him in the waiting room. Can you do that too?”

“After hearing it once and on the spot? And hearing it for the first time on top of that? That kid really is a genius.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik made up his mind to sign Jun Hyuk even if he had to modify the contract. If a music producer with 30 years of experience in the industry said that he was a genius, there was no doubt that he was a genius.

Even if they adjusted the profit share so that they were only receiving a small amount, geniuses always made up for it. It was possible that Jun Hyuk alone could bring in more money than all of the other contestants would combined.


	29. Chapter 29

Volume 1 / Chapter 28

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Jun Hyuk.”

“Yes, sir.”

“MV channel’s legal team just came and they left the contract.”

“The contract?”

“Yeah. The music rights or advertisements that will arise… Anyway, you have to sign a contract like this to be able to continue going out on the program.”

“Okay. You know those types of things well. You always brag that you were good in school… Didn’t you say that you graduated from the best university in Korea and went to a really famous college in America too?

Jun Hyuk gave him a look full of suspicion.

“I knew it…..”

“What do you mean you knew it?”

“I’m just saying I knew it. He he. Does it make sense that someone who was doing so well is now selling coffee in a cafe?”

“Hey! This kid. You want to see my diploma? There were a lot of waves in my life.”

 

“Oh sure. Then you can handle the contract or whatever it is.”

“But that’s a separate problem. It’s a legal issue.”

“Legal?’

“Yeah. You and I are technically strangers. You need a guardian since you’re still a minor…..”

“Oh. Weren’t you my guardian?”

“We need to have that recognized by the country. That would be a legal guardian.”

“Then we can just do that.”

Jun Hyuk carefully looked at Yoon Kwang Hun.

“Jun Hyuk, there are two ways for me to become your legal guardian. One is to adopt you and become your father and the other is to just be your legal representative and custodian.”

“But sir…”

“Listen to everything I have to say.”

Yoon Kwang Hun stopped Jun Hyuk with his hand as if he knew what he was going to say.

“Okay.”

“A legal custodian’s rights as a guardian disappear automatically once you become an adult. After that, you would decide everything on your own. I am satisfied with being your legal custodian.”

“…..”

He had thought for sure that Yoon Kwang Hun had thought of him as someone like his child, but now he was saying legal custodian. Jun Hyuk’s face was full of disappointment.

“Truthfully, I think of you as my son but a father… it’s a parent’s duty to provide care from birth until adulthood. I didn’t do this. If I were to act selfish, I would adopt you as my son, but I don’t qualify.”

“Sir. You’re the one adult adult who gave me a meal without expecting something in return.”

Jun Hyuk’s eyes flushed with tears as he felt Yoon Kwang Hun’s sincerity.

“Hey, this is getting depressing. Let’s stop talking about it. Just know that I’ll become your legal custodian. I was going to do that this year anyway. You need to make an ID card since you’re 17 years old.”


	30. Chapter 30

Volume 1 / Chapter 29

TL: LightNovelCafe

MV channel’s legal team had been tuning the terms with Yoon Kwang Hun and appeared with the final contract.

“Thank you for agreeing to a lot of concessions.”

“No need. I’m thankful as I wonder if I was being too picky.”

They exchanged courtesies with meaningless words.

“Then we’ll go over the highlighted details one more time.”

The legal team pointed out a few articles.

“First off, the domestic distribution rights to Jun Hyuk’s songs over the next three years will be reserved for MV channel, right?

“Yes.”

“But did you specifically articulate domestic distribution rights because you plan for international activity as well?”

“You never know what will happen.”

Yoon Kwang Hun planned to send Jun Hyuk to a foreign country during the second half of next year at the latest. Jun Hyuk’s piano teacher Go Sae Won was looking into a school in Spain and Yoon Kwang Hun was comparing schools in America with the help of acquaintances he had from his study abroad days.

Jun Hyuk would not stop creating music even if he were abroad and a masterpiece could emerge. It was to prevent MV channel from controlling the distribution over that aspect as well.

MV channel sacrificed most of the other items.

They had come to the conclusion that among the digital sales revenues, Jun Hyuk’s shares would solely be his. This unconventional contract was possible because of Producer Kim Ki Sik’s demand.

He had insisted that in the five years since he had been in charge of the program, it was hard to find another person like Jun Hyuk. And it was true. So very true.

 

“This is a new item that we added in and we would like for you to be understanding.”

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing really, it concerns sponsorship.”

“Sponsorship?”

“Yes. While we’re filming the show, Jun Hyuk is to only wear clothing provided by sponsors. Of course this item is automatically invalid if he signs on somewhere as a formal advertising model.”

“I’m guessing there’s a company willing to provide sponsorship?”

“Yes, it’s called XOR. It’s a casual brand.”

The legal team scoped Yoon Kwang Hun out. They had to get this item at the least to save face.

“That’s fine. It’s not anything difficult.”

“Thank you.”

“Do they take the clothes back?”

“Excuse me? Oh, ha ha. No, they will be giving everything to Jun Hyuk.”

The legal team laughed, thinking it a relief that the contract was signed.

It was very rare for them to be so accommodating. But they knew they had to have him. And that was that.


	31. Chapter 31

Volume 1 / Chapter 30

TL: LightNovelCafe

Even when the area preliminaries ended, the production crew had no time to breathe and needed to move quickly. They had to check the dormitory that hundreds of Star Week finalists would be using for about a week and they had to make sure the judges’ schedules had not changed. On top of that, they had to go for days without sleep to secure copyrights to all of the songs that the finalists would sing.

“The list is all set, right?”

“Yes. We picked the 110 main contestants.”

“Who are the people who will go into the top 10?”

“There are about 17 candidates.”

“Including Jun Hyuk?”

“No, excluding Jun Hyuk.”

“Hey, but can Jun Hyuk really not sing? When you look at people with musicality, don’t they have the rudimentary at the least? He has a good voice.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik looked at the young writer as if checking, no as if complaining.

 

“I checked numerous times, but he won’t sing. I asked him to sing just one verse but he won’t budge.”

It was not the young writer’s fault that Jun Hyuk would not sing, but she shook her head back and forth as if she were trying to avoid responsibility.

“It would be the best if he would just sing a little. It’d be over if he kept playing the piano until the finals and burst out singing during the live performance.”

It was the picture that all production staff members in the conference room dreamt of. What if he kept acting like he would sing, then not back and forth, building up the suspense until the 1st live performance where he belts out all the high notes in a song like ‘She’s Gone’?

How high the real-time viewer ratings would soar… It was a sweet imagination.


	32. Chapter 32

Volume 1 / Chapter 31

TL: LightNovelCafe

As the bus Jun Hyuk was riding entered Sangam-dong, his cellphone rang.

“Hello?”

– This is Jang Jun Hyuk, right?

“Yes.”

– I’m a writer from MV channel. Where are you?

The familiar voice on the phone was that of the youngest writer.

“I’m almost at Sangam-dong.”

– Bus? Subway?

“Bus.”

– Then get off at the Sangam-dong Digital Media City stop and wait there. I’m going to pick you up.

“Okay.”

Jun Hyuk got off at the stop and looked around. He had wandered the downtown area lined with skyscrapers before, but this was the first time he had come here with somewhere to go. It was also the first time he had done something after making plans with another person. He had not known that this exciting and stirring feeling would be so great.

“Jang Jun Hyuk.”

As he turned his head to see who had called his name, he saw the young writer waving to him from a car.

“It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? This is it for your bags?”

 

She spoke as she looked around the backpack Jun Hyuk was wearing.

“Excuse me? What bags?”

“You’ll be here for a week. You didn’t bring your clothes?”

“I brought my socks and underwear.”

“Hu hu. Good. You’ll have to change your clothes anyway.”

The young writer discussed things Jun Hyuk did not know about and drove the car into MV channel’s building parking lot. She took Jun Hyuk to a personal waiting room fit for a famous singer instead of the participants’ waiting room.

 

There were already a few people waiting in the room and a rack full of clothing.

“Wow, he might as well be a model. A treasure like this walked in on his own? MV got really lucky. How tall is he?”

“He’s 186 cm.”

“186cm and his looks would make Jang Dong Gun and Won Bin cower. He’ll look amazing on camera. Our Director really has an eye for these kinds of things.”

“What do you think? Do you think you’ll have clothes he’ll look good in?”

“Since the mannequin kills, whatever we hang on him will be fashionable.”

 

Excluding Jun Hyuk who stood there blankly, everyone fussed and carefully examined him. It was only then that the young writer started to explain the current situation to Jun Hyuk.

“Jun Hyuk. These people are here because of the clothing sponsorship. It’s an extremely rare situation, but you’re a special case. Cooperate with us on this.”

The young writer addressed the people there for the clothing sponsorship again,

“The concept is chic, rebel. Please dress him accordingly since his target will most likely be teenagers.”

Jun Hyuk finally understood what was going on. It was the apparel sponsorship that Yoon Kwang Hun had told him about. It meant that they were going to give him clothes.

He had to wear a t-shirt with a big XOR logo on it with tight jeans. There was even a long and thin chain hanging from the pants.

Jun Hyuk looked at himself in the mirror and smiled slightly. The young writer thought that he was smiling because he liked what he saw in his reflection and laughed as she spoke,

“What do you think? You like it? Is it okay?”

“Yes, I like the chain. My boss really doesn’t like these types of things.”

“Older people usually don’t. Also pick out the clothes you like from this hanger. They’ll be the clothing you wear for the next week.”

“Really? I can pick what I want?”

“Of course. It’s a sponsorship. When the shooting ends, it’s all yours.”

Jun Hyuk had the thought that he had done well to participate in the auditions for the first time.


	33. Chapter 33

Volume 1 / Chapter 32

TL: LightNovelCafe

The 110 survivors from the area eliminations boarded a bus to a condo in Pocheon, Kyeonggi-do. The contest to select the top 10 would begin while staying at the condo for the next 5 nights and 6 days.

A staff member from the production crew raised the tension so the ride to Pocheon would not be boring,

“There there, everyone listen up. When we arrive at the condo in a bit, the room assignments will start. As soon as the assignments are over, the team mission will start… and five people will make up each team. A band member will be regarded as one member. Place the name tag being passed out now on your chest. If you look at the tags, it says each of your…should I say genres, specialties? Anyway it has a characteristic, so check those and form your teams. And when we start filming, don’t act too restless… Got it?”

As soon as they arrived at the condo, they had to meet in the basement hall without time to even greet their roommates. A set had already been prepared to shoot.

 

“There there, we’re going to start quickly. Please make your teams within two hours.”

Not everything on the program was filmed according to a script. There are unpredictable situations and the crises these situations create. It seems these are the devices that keep the viewers under suspense. Star Week is the content that participants create, excluding their music.

***

Everyone was busy trying to find the teams they would be working with. A team member was a colleague but also an opponent. One could not be on a team with someone at a lower level who would ruin the mission or with someone who would overshadow others with their talent.

Jun Hyuk slowly started getting annoyed. He even had the thought that he should have listened to Yoon Kwang Hun and began to regret going on the program.

‘Shit, should I just go?’

He was going back and forth like this when two people cautiously approached him.

“Excuse me. Hello. Do you remember us?”

“Who? Oh, the rappers from last time?”

“Yes. Thanks to you, we also passed the area preliminaries. We wanted to thank you then but you left first.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Do you want to be on a team with us? If you’re okay with that.”

“Sure.”

“We’ll try gathering the team members as well.”

“I’m okay with anything, so you can take care of it.”

The two rappers spoke deliberately, but Jun Hyuk consented to go along apathetically. This was because it was easier for him to be on a team when people approached him instead of having to find people to form a team with.

 

The two rappers ran around looking for people to make up the rest of their team. Once Jun Hyuk agreed to work with them, the rest of the team was formed quickly.

Jun Hyuk was the perfect team member because he was good looking, his guitar skills were amazing… and the best thing about him was that he did not sing. No one knew what their mission song would be, but it was clear that they would need instrumentals to back up the singing. It also would not hurt to take him out of the competition early.

When the recording started, the VJs were busy trying to shoot the bustling participants forming teams.

Jun Hyuk sat still through the tedious period and the VJ who filmed Jun Hyuk during the area eliminations was acting as his personal mark man.

The full-fledged mission started after two hours.

22 panels were hanging on the wall and a question mark was printed on each.

“On the backside of these panels are the faces of 22 senior singers. Each team will choose a panel and check the singer you get. We will commence the contest with the song of your choosing from that singer.”

 

Jun Hyuk’s team chose singer Park Ki Young. Though it sounds like a man’s name, the picture was of a woman. None of the members knew who Park Ki Young was.

The broadcast staff came in as soon as the 22 teams chose their mission songs.

“This is the team that chose Park Ki Young’s song, right?”

“Yes.”

“Raise your hand if you know Park Ki Young’s songs.”

When no one rose their hands, the staff member pulled out an MP3 player.

“We recorded the songs on this, so listen to it. Both the original and edited songs are in there, so you’ll have to listen carefully.”

The staff member pulled out a music score as well.

“This is the edited score, so raise your hand if you know how to read sheet music.”

Jun Hyuk and a girl rose their hands.

“Okay. You two look at this and teach the kids. Don’t waste any time and hurry up and start practicing. When you’re done, call us.”

Someone spoke to the staff member as he was walking away.

 

“Excuse me, isn’t the mission song supposed to be one of Park Ki Young’s that we choose and arrange?”

“When you don’t even know who Park Ki Young is?”

“Yes.”

As the replying voice grew confidence, the staff member’s brows went up.

“So? Do we need to prepare all songs by Park Ki Young and present them to you guys? And you guys will listen to all of those songs and choose? You have that much time? Are you guys crazy?”

Everyone looked dejected at the staff member’s biting words and relented.

“Are you good at arranging music?”

“Excuse me? No, that’s not it.”

“Is arranging something that can be done within a few minutes? If you can’t do it, just do what you’re told. And is the broadcast a joke? You’re trying to go on air with a song you arranged when you can’t even arrange music? Save that for your school performance.”

The staff member turned away and put his foot down.

“If you don’t do this properly, your faces won’t make it on air even for a minute. We’ll edit all of your parts out, so get your head on straight.”

When the grunting staff member walked away, the rapper spoke up,

“Shit. I knew this would happen. It was all a show.”

The participants who had only been viewers up until now had just found out a new truth. Broadcast is a show.

Volume 1 / Chapter 33

TL: LightNovelCafe

“There there. Let’s hurry up and hear it.”

The song that the staff had thrown at them was ‘Start,’ released by Park Ki Young in 1998. The singer and title were unfamiliar, but most of it was a famous song. It was Park Ki Young’s hit song so well-known that anyone who heard the climax would say, ‘Oh, this song’.

Jun Hyuk heard the song after he read over the music score. It was not bad for a ballad. The arrangement was not bad either. The only problem was that even though five people each with their own talents had come together, the guide was done as if one person was singing the ballad. It was not appropriate for five people.

“Let’s talk about how we’re going to separate the parts.”

 

Excluding Jun Hyuk, the four must have thought that they could not have the spotlight taken from them, so they argued and laid out their opinions.

“The amount of time each person gets needs to be similar since it needs to be fair and… we need to pick the parts that we all sing together.”

“I looked at last season and when people got greedy and messed up the song, no matter how well any one person sang, everyone was eliminated.”

“But we’re rap… I’m going to go crazy! This.”

Excluding Jun Hyuk, everyone’s faces were dark with a mix of greed and fear, tension and heaviness. Jun Hyuk was suspicious as to whether they had listened to the song properly or not.

Though it is said that the delicate voice is expressing a woman’s one-sided love for a man, but starting from the second half, with the intense guitar sound and short guitar solo, it was a rock ballad.

 

If an arrangement is not better than the original, it is bound to receive severe criticism. With a bad arrangement, unless it is covered with singing skills superior to that of the original song, it is inevitable that they would receive appraisal that they ruined the song… but everyone was only worried about their own parts and not the music.

The oldest member of Jun Hyuk’s group who looked to be in his late twenties seemed to be trying to take lead of the group and spoke,

“There there. Let’s memorize the lyrics for each of our parts first. It’s over the moment we start tripping up on stage because we can’t remember the lyrics.”

While everyone plugged the MP3 earphones in their ears, Jun Hyuk slowly left the area. He sat in a corner of the auditorium and looked around the room. It was full of more than 100 young people memorizing their songs or practicing with tension and anxiety.

 

Jun Hyuk held his guitar and started to flick the strings. He was not playing with a chord or picking a scale. He was making random sounds like a child touching a guitar for the first time.

The VJ chasing Jun Hyuk spoke while he was holding his camera,

“What are you doing right now?”

“Oh, this bustle is fun. I’m thinking about to expressing it.”

“Can you be spending your time like this? You’re not going to practice your mission song? You said earlier that you would be playing the accompaniment…..”

“It’s okay. I memorized all of the arranged score.”

“What? Already? You already knew the mission song?”

“No. We saw the score earlier.”

“You can memorize it after looking once?”

“Yes.”

The VJ put down the camera and turned the switch off.

“Really? You can memorize it after seeing it once?”

“Yes. 3 minutes and 24 seconds. It’s short.”

The song was released in the year Jun Hyuk was born. It did not seem like he was lying that he did not know the song because it was as old as he was.

“How about the song that was arranged? Did you memorize all of that as well?”

“Yes. That was even easier.”

“You don’t like the arrangement?”

“No. It was garbage ruining the original song.”

How could he say it was garbage? The music director and arrangers participating in this show were veterans with at least 10 years of experience in this field. Professionals like that did not make garbage.

“Why is it garbage?”

“Music needs to be arranged relative to the instrument… no, to the standard of the singer’s tone. They made the song before they knew who would be singing it. The song that’s been arranged now needs to be ripped apart and fixed at the least.”

The VJ thought what Jun Hyuk was saying made sense.

 

“Then is there something different that you’re thinking of?”

“No. How can I when I don’t know the teammates who will be singing? I haven’t heard them either. I need to know each of their tones and strong points to arrange it.”

“Then why don’t you tell your teammates you should edit the song again?”

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s a bother. And why do you keep following me?”

He had stopped making a song based on the bustling of the room because of the VJ. The feeling of inconvenience turned into annoyance, so Jun Hyuk went back to his teammates.

They must not have been able to memorize the lyrics yet because they were still concentrating on listening to the music. The rapper who had found Jun Hyuk went over to him and spoke discreetly,

“Do you by chance have any good ideas?”

“No, I don’t have any.”

“Hey… why are you being like this? Last time, you made a great song after just overhearing us rap.”

“I heard you both rap that time. That was possible because I knew the singers’ tonal quality. I don’t know it now.”

“Does that mean you’ll be able to arrange the song after you hear us sing?”

“Yes.”

“Hold on.”

The two rappers went to the other three people who were memorizing their lyrics,

“Let’s ask that person to make the guide for our song.”

 

“He’s the person who only played the guitar for the area preliminaries, right?”

The girl in her early twenties who had raised her hand along with Jun Hyuk to indicate that she could read music scores had a slightly hopeful expression.

“Yes, his skill is no joke. Even at the area preliminaries, he heard our rap once and fixed the entire thing. We were able to pass that round because of that as well.”

“Why are we trying to do another edit when the arrangement is already here?”

The man in his late twenties who called himself the team leader wrinkled his forehead. It seemed that he thought that his position as leader would be in danger if this young kid did the arrangement and song guide.

“So you’re saying… that kid should give out the parts and complement the song.”

“Yes. Let’s just hear him out first.”

When everyone decided to try listening to Jun Hyuk’s guide, the man in his late twenties could no longer oppose.

“Excuse me, Mr. Jun Hyuk. We’ll sing the mission song, so will you try arranging it?”

“Sure. Should we hear each person’s singing first? Go around and sing the song. From the part ‘I want to tell you’.”

Jun Hyuk was telling them to sing the climax of the song.

“Oh, the two rappers don’t need to sing. If you listen to the song well, the guitar solo comes in three phrases and that’s 12 seconds. You two rap then. 3 phrases. The content is up to you. Since the song is about a woman’s one-sided love, I was thinking that maybe it could be about the man’s thoughts as the object of this one-sided love.”

Jun Hyuk listened to the singing of the remaining three people: the arrogant man in his late twenties, the girl in her early twenties who could read music scores, and a boy who looked to be in his teens but sat without speaking as if he were an old man. Jun Hyuk was silent in thought before he began to speak,

“I’ll play just the instrumental according to the score. You don’t need to sing. But mister.”

The person Jun Hyuk was calling mister was the man in his late twenties.

“Me? What?”

“Mister, you’ll mess everything up if you keep trying to show off how high you can go.”

“What?”

“I’m saying that we’re just instruments. Do instruments show off how high they can go? We’re just five instruments playing one song together. What’s important is the overall harmony. It doesn’t sound good if you force your high notes and try to show off.”

“Are you trying to teach me right now?”

His face had already turned red. How could a kid like this be criticizing him?

“Your tone kind of sucks. No matter how high you try to go with a bad voice, it just becomes noise.”

“This bratty asshole!”

As soon as a fist came at the red face, the two rappers acted quickly and held it back.

“Stop it. What are you doing? The cameras are filming everything.”

The VJ was laughing with a bright face as though he were having fun. Discord between members was a spectacle for the viewers. A fist came towards the camera and hit the man shaking with anger.

“This asshole must have a rag in his mouth. He’s cursing when he doesn’t even know me!”

The owner of the fist was none other than Jun Hyuk.

Not just Jun Hyuk’s team members, but others nearby had to hold Jun Hyuk back as he kicked at the man on the floor. Only the VJ looked as though he had been given a prize as he held the camera. The recording might not be suitable for the broadcast, but it was a VJ’s job to catch such a dramatic moment.


	34. Chapter 34

Volume 1 / Chapter 34

TL: LightNovelCafe

When the VJ showed Producer Kim Ki Sik the video of Jun Hyuk fighting, he laughed and questioned him on the situation.

“What are the kids doing now?”

“We barely got Jun Hyuk to stay after he said that he was going to quit everything and leave. And the kid who was hit is huffing about calling the police.”

“How did you get Jun Hyuk to stay? That kid doesn’t listen to anyone.”

“The young writer who marked Jun Hyuk did it. They’ve gotten pretty friendly.”

“Bring the kid who got hit here.”

The participant who had gotten hit by Jun Hyuk started his interview with Producer Kim Ki Sik while massaging his face with ice.

“Do what you want,”

He understood what Producer Kim’s frosty tone meant. He was giving him pressure. It meant that he needed to pack his bags and leave the condo if he did not keep his mouth shut.

“No, that’s not it. It’s okay. I’m not a kid or anything…..”

 

“Really? Then the company’s legal team is going to go to you with a piece of paper. Sign it.”

“What? What paper…?”

“What do you mean what paper? It’s a document saying you won’t make a problem out of today’s events. Got it?”

“Yes.”

“You can go. Also, I’ll change your team instead. Just know that we’ll be doing that.”

The participants of ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ were all expendable to the absolute target of raising viewer ratings. Once expendable, they needed to listen to the producer in order to stay in the program at all costs.

***

The expendable person who had been switched into Jun Hyuk’s team was someone whose skill was to the degree that he had heard he sang well at his neighborhood karaoke.

Producer Kim Ki Sik who was in charge of the show started his plan to get Jun Hyuk in the top 10.

 

Two VJs tight with tension stood in front of Producer Kim Ki Sik and were listening to his orders.

“Listen well. You just keep concentrating on Jun Hyuk and film him. And you… you’ve been here longer than he has, right?”

“Yes.”

“Okay then. Jun Hyuk doesn’t sing, right? Instead, you have to make him the conductor for the 5-person team mission. He has to be the maestro who does everything from arranging to directing parts for the members. You understand what I’m saying, right?”

“Ah, I get what you’re saying.”

“Okay. That’s Jun Hyuk’s theme for this week’s 5-person team mission. I’m putting it in your hands.”

“Don’t worry about it. The two of us will bring back lots of good shots.”

 

They finished preparing the materials to make Jun Hyuk a maestro. Now they needed to convince the viewers that Jun Hyuk was qualified to be in the top 10 even without singing.

The people to persuade the viewers were the judges themselves.

Before Jun Hyuk’s team performed as the fourth to be on stage, Producer Kim and the main judges started their conference on the issue.

The main judges of Season 5 were slightly experimental with the addition of two new members.

Along with Lee Sung Chul and the legendary singer and songwriter Yoon Jung Su, singer of 25 years Lee Eun Jin who had been given the nickname ‘Diva of the Night Sky’ because she did not make appearances in public or on broadcast joined the panel.

Last was Son Jin Young from JYS, one of Korea’s top 3 agencies which produced countless girl groups.

“Producer Kim, why are you like this for this season? You’re openly pushing for this kid.”

“Ha ha. Excuse me just once. Aren’t I a person who goes back and forth between heaven and hell based on the viewer ratings?”

“So? You’re saying that kid will guarantee viewer ratings?”

“Sung Chul. Who are you talking about?”

Yoon Jung Su who had not seen Jun Hyuk during the area preliminaries was asking.

“There’s a kid. A kid who gives me headaches. Oh right, he’s the type you would like.”

 

Yoon Jung Su’s eyes widened as he was flipping through the files containing each person’s history and special characteristics.

“What is this? He got all the way here just by playing the guitar and not singing? And… what? He’s an orphan?”

“Yeah. Other than not singing, he’s the best. His story’s good, he’s better looking than Kang Dong Won, the guitar performance is great, he’s probably a genius in arranging, and his song analysis is outstanding.”

“Seems like he’ll get all of the women’s texting votes. He could even get to the top 5 on votes alone.”

As they discussed Jun Hyuk, Producer Kim Ki Sik said the final defining words,

“This kid is just a star. He has the talent and looks to cover a song. On top of that, he has an unstoppable nature. You know well since you’re all stars. One of those people who is bound to become news whatever he does.”

Lee Eun Jin who had been listening silently had an opposing expression.

“So you want us to push for him openly?”

“No. I’m asking you to find something in him that will cover his inability to sing. If you can’t find anything, I won’t hang on to him.”

They could protect Lee Eun Jin’s pride as this was her first time on the judges’ panel. What went out on air was the producer’s magic, or editing. She was not such an amateur that she would make a fuss if an edit was made entirely different from her intentions.

Kim Ki Sik was confident. He was certain that the viewer ratings would go up if he made Jun Hyuk a star.


	35. Chapter 35

Volume 1 / Chapter 35

TL: LightNovelCafe

“What is the song?”

“It’s Park Ki Young’s ‘Start’.”

“Please start.”

Yoon Jung Su tried to create laughter with his play on the song title, but nothing could make the nervous participants laugh. Yoon Jung Su’s expression became awkward.

The team members’ looked at Jun Hyuk who nodded lightly at them as a signal. The song started with his first guitar stroke and 4 minutes passed.

 

Everyone on the team had a look of reassurance on their faces that they had finished without making any mistakes and the four judges wore strange expressions. The judges had without a doubt listened to the song with awe and admiration, but their expressions had completely changed once it ended.

Lee Sung Chul was the first to grab the mic and he opened his mouth slowly,

“Um… It was good. This, well…”

Delaying the evaluation, he coughed a few times in embarrassment.

“The song is very good. Everyone sang well… The other teams split up the song but this team was unique and not one person stopped singing. They put in a chord when it wasn’t their part… ah… The only one who didn’t sing is the person on guitar, right?”

 

Everyone’s eyes settled on Jun Hyuk, but he just blinked back at Lee Sung Chul. Producer Kim who had been monitoring the close-up of Jun Hyuk’s face began to laugh again.

“Ha ha. That kid’s face is as though he doesn’t even care about the judges.”

Everyone in the staff room nodded their heads. This was the first time in five seasons that they had seen anyone so arrogant without any sign of tension.

“… And the rap was also really good. The feelings of the man who is the object of the one-sided love that was not in the original song. It was also very funny how you expressed that very indifferently… Who wrote that?”

“Yes, we wrote it.”

The two rappers could not hide their happiness from Lee Sung Chul’s compliment. However, they had to hide the traces of their laughter because of the following evaluation.

“Yet… It was generally good, but you all made a big mistake. Yoon Jung Su will probably be the one to tell you what that mistake was. I heard the song well.”

 

A mistake? The music and singing were perfect. Did Lee Sung Chul not say that himself? Everyone swallowed and gave Yoon Jung Su their attention.

Yoon Jung Su held the mic and smiled at Lee Sung Chul.

“Have you decided to avoid saying the invectives this season? Why do I have to say the bad things?”

“You have to get some of the abuse online. He he.”

Yoon Jung Su fixed his mic and his mood became serious.

“Well… you heard enough compliments, but I’ll say it again. The song was really good. At this rate, it could go on a concert stage immediately and there wouldn’t be any problem.”

The team members became excited again. They might be able to achieve a dream-like whole team pass.

“It was absolutely perfect as not one person showed where their disadvantages lied, and the chords were inserted exquisitely so that not one person stood out more than another. However…”

Everyone swallowed. It seemed like the real assessment was going to start now.

“….. However, that also means that there wasn’t anyone who was special. There wasn’t anyone that we as the judges were drawn to. To say it another way, should I say it was like food made with ordinary ingredients? It was very tasty, but we couldn’t find the ingredients and we couldn’t tell what the sauce was.”

 

Yoon Jung Su finished his assessment as the disappointed participants looked on,

“A good performance is the basic. That basic was executed perfectly, but there wasn’t anything special. Can I say that everyone was just passable? It felt like that. You worked hard.”

The third person to get the mic was the person who had newly joined the judges, Lee Eun Jin,

“The two of you said so many good things that I have nothing to add. Saying that you’re passable means that you were short of talent. If you have a weapon, you can’t hide it even if you try. It comes out while you’re singing. But there wasn’t anyone on stage whose weapon showed.”

Lee Eun Jin’s evaluation continued after a moment of sighing.

“There is someone who does need to receive an excellent evaluation, isn’t there? I’m sure you all know who it is. The chef who made admirable food with ordinary ingredients. That person needs to get good ratings for sure.”

The team members’ eyes naturally shifted to Jun Hyuk and Lee Eun Jin smiled,

“I see you are all telling us who that chef is.”

Producer Kim who was watching the evaluation with the most tension put down his worries. He was nervous because there had not been one word said about Jun Hyuk, but Lee Eun Jin who he had thought would be the most biting had moved the way he wanted her to. This was the signal that Lee Eun Jin was sending to Producer Kim Ki Sik.

She was saying that she would cooperate with Producer Kim Ki Sik and help him and not to forget it. She had done Producer Kim Ki Sik a favor and he would have to repay the debt at some time.

Thanks to Lee Eun Jin’s judgment, the viewers would not be able to raise issues even if Jun Hyuk went on to the next stage. The chef who made great food with mundane ingredients. This was enough.

The last person to get the mic was Song Jin Young of JYS and she wrapped it up with an intense assessment.

“This is a program that discovers stars through competition. You are all forgetting that. A song that’s like acapella? It’s nice to listen to. This is a boxing ring, not an afterschool club.”

All of the cameras focused on the judges. As the cameras were catching the judges share their thoughts and opinions, Lee Sung Chul took the mic,

“The people who passed this round are… the two rappers and Jang Jun Hyuk.”

The two rappers could not hide their excitement and Jun Hyuk remained in the same state. The girl would had been eliminated had tears in her eyes and the boy who had joined the team late was scowling.

“The rappers showed talent in their fun rap and Jang Jun Hyuk showed great capability as a producer. However, you’ll have to keep in mind that this program is about discovering stars and not producers. You’ll have to show yourself as more than a producer and as a musician on the next stage, or it’ll be difficult to advance any further. That is all.”


	36. Chapter 36

Volume 1 / Chapter 36

TL: LightNovelCafe

After that, performances that alternated between happiness and sadness continued and with the end of the first round of Star Week, the 40 people who passed were decided. In a matter of 48 hours, 70 out of 110 people had been sent home.

The 2nd round was to start now. From here, half would make it up to the last round of Star Week and the rest would be boarding the bus to Seoul Station, staying for just another day.

Known as the most cruel round, the 2nd round consisted of two people becoming a team to compete with another team performing the same song.

The judges simply chose the better group. With misfortune in choice of partner, no matter how much one shined, there was no way to stay alive. Everything moved according to a plan especially because the production crew organized the teams. There was the production crew that knew this and the naive participants who thought that it was up to luck.

 

The person who became Jun Hyuk’s partner was Nam Seung Hee, an aspiring singer in her mid-twenties who had received the appraisement that she was the prettiest contestant in this season’s Star Week.

Nam Seung Hee who dreamt of being a female rapper like Yoon Mi Rae was another one of Producer Kim Ki Sik’s hidden cards.

The VJ captured Jun Hyuk’s face during his first meeting with Nam Seung Hee. The plan was the flirtation between the ideal boy and girl. It was the meeting of this season’s best looking guy and prettiest and sexiest girl. Nam Seung Hee fit the tall Jun Hyuk well with her long and slender legs. When he got a good shot of the two together, the VJ moved busily with excitement.

When the VJ saw Jun Hyuk’s expression in the camera, he knew that Producer Kim’s plan was working. Jun Hyuk was blushing and could not stop smiling as he looked bashful.

“Hello. My name is Nam Seung Hee.”

The Jun Hyuk who shook the hand Nam Seung Hee held out as she laughed was not the rough teenager who threw his fist and cursed, but a young boy who could not hide his awkwardness in front of a girl.

Nam Seung Hee on the other hand did not let her guard down and kept showing a stiff face. In the individual interviews, it was possible to know why she was not unconditionally pleased at becoming Jun Hyuk’s partner.

 

“Do you know what we call Jang Jun Hyuk amongst ourselves?”

“What?”

“It’s poisoned apple. Poisoned apple. The poisoned apple that Snow White died after taking one bite.”

“Why? Why is Jun Hyuk a poisoned apple?”

“Because you want it and it looks edible, but you die the second you put your mouth to it. The music that Jun Hyuk makes is so perfect that you want to sing it after you hear it… but the end result is that Jun Hyuk is the only one who stands out and the person singing falls… That’s why he’s the poisoned apple.”

The VJ conducting the interview thought that this might be a consummate metaphor.

***

The duo’s mission song was Finkl’s ‘NOW’.

“Do you want to sing the song first? According to the original.”

“What? Why do you want me to sing all of a sudden.….?”

 

“To see the difference between the tone you normally speak in and the tone you sing in.”

Nam Seung Hee sang softly to Jun Hyuk’s gentle guitar accompaniment. It was just a tone check and it did not matter if her pitch was unstable or if she was not on beat.

When she finished singing, Jun Hyuk looked surprised.

“Um. Have you received professional training?”

“Excuse me? Oh, yes. I have.”

“It seems like you’ve practiced a lot. Your voice became scratchy.”

Scratchy? Her voice was not husky in any way, but what could he be talking about?

“Oh, you don’t need to worry. It’s a good thing. It’s become strong. Wait, is there a piano?”

As Jun Hyuk looked around, the staff rushed to set up a digital piano.

“Here, listen to this.”

He put his fingers on the keyboard and started to play. While a slow piano sound spread, his right hand started to move faster. It was a colorful melody, but the waiting room was full of an overall slow jazz.

Since the rival teams stopped practicing as they found themselves lost in Jun Hyuk’s music, Nam Seung Hee was out of the question.

 

Nam Seung Hee who had been drunk with the aftertaste of the sound of the piano was swept with embarrassment once she came back to her senses.

“Are you telling me to sing this? Isn’t this a piano instrumental?”

“No it isn’t because I’ll actually only be playing the accompaniment. We’ll have to fill the rest with singing.”

“This is jazzy but what am I supposed to do? I’ve never sang jazz before.”

“You can start practicing now. Just keep one thing in mind; this is perfect for your voice.”

The VJ almost felt awkward at Jun Hyuk’s image of leading the opponent in such a straightforward manner as opposed to the 5-person mission. How could he change so much when it seemed like he was just constantly arrogant?

‘This kid was no different from an everyday teenager.’

Nam Seung Hee asked for a little time and left her seat at Jun Hyuk suddenly asking her to sing jazz.

“Jun Hyuk, can we do a short interview?”

“Again?”

“What do you mean again? You haven’t done that many. Out of all the Star Week contestants, you’ve done the least. Everyone else will do anything to get an interview.”

He convinced a complaining Jun Hyuk and started the interview.

 

“Why did you choose jazz all of a sudden? It seems like Nam Seung Hee barely listened to jazz music.”

“Her tone sounded like a clarinet. But…..”

“But?”

“She wants to do hip hop… hah. It was so funny I didn’t know what to do. She doesn’t fit with hip hop at all.”

“Even if her tonal quality is good, she says she can’t do jazz.”

“She can just sing it slow since I’ll fill the rest with the piano. We can save it.”

“It seems like you like Nam Seung Hee looking at the way you accommodate her. Yeah?”

Jun Hyuk did not show any shock at the VJ’s frank question,

“Yes. She’s pretty.”

“Oh, you’re honest.”

The VJ was shocked that he had responded so easily.

While Jun Hyuk was doing his short interlude interview, Nam Seung Hee was on her cellphone getting angry.

“Director, talk to the producer here. They’re telling me to sing jazz. They didn’t give us an arranged song and the kid who’s my partner…..”

“Oh, I see. Sorry. I guess I bothered Director for nothing…..”

– Nam Seung Hee, listen closely.

“Yes.”

– What do you think you are? Are you a singer? What? Jazz isn’t a genre I’m pursuing? You want to set your image in hip hop? You’re being annoying.

Nam Seung Hee could not say anything in response to the director’s harsh words and felt like her head was empty. She had been mistaken for a moment that she had passed the auditions and entered Star Week on her talent.

She realized her position as one of countless aspiring celebrities.

– Listen well. Do you know how much this company spent to get you there? Genre? Character? Do that stuff when you become a singer. Right right, your job is to shut your mouth and do as the broadcast station says. Got it? And your partner is 100 times better than you. You’re being carried along with him. Don’t call me when you’re just a little brat who doesn’t know her position!

The director who had hung up after his rant had told her what she needed to do. She needed to hang on to the boy that even the main producer was fussing over no matter what.


	37. Chapter 37

Volume 1 / Chapter 37

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Don’t think about it as something difficult. All you have to do is remember the tempo and make sure not to fall behind it or go ahead of it while you sing.”

“Are you able to record the piano accompaniment for me? I really don’t have the confidence… I think I’m going to lose the beat. I can’t keep asking you to play the piano for me… I’ll practice on my own.”

“Ha ha. I’m telling you it’s okay. I’ll play it for you 100 or 1,000 times, so let’s practice together.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik smiled widely as he was monitoring Jun Hyuk openly show his affection for her and kept giving orders to the staff,

 

“Hey. When Star Week ends, get the kids from Jun Hyuk’s team together again. The mission song was Park Ki Young’s ‘Start’ right?”

“Yes.”

“Get that song ready for a digital release in the recording studio. It’ll go up. And the Finkl song that Jun Hyuk just played on the piano… formally record that too so it’s ready for service the day the episode airs. Got it?”

“What? The instrumental? Not the song that they’ll sing later?”

“There aren’t very many female singers in Korea who can make money singing jazz. It’ll sell if the singer is someone at Lee So Ra’s level. Jazz that girl sings? Doesn’t make sense. It won’t make digital sales. But a piano instrumental will work for background music on blogs and cafe franchises.”

 

The staff could tell why Producer Kim Ki Sik was a rising producer in musical variety shows.

He had an eye for screening music, but he was also a businessman who could certainly choose music that would sell and even find the places where the money would come from.

“At any rate, this stage isn’t about music. It’s eye candy for the viewers. All we have to do is make sure we show them those two flirting. Since we showed them Jun Hyuk’s music in the 1st round, we need to highlight the other kids’ music too this time. Keep your heads on straight.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik had did not care about the same-some rival mission. To avoid any risks, the rival group to go against him was made up of two people who definitely needed to pack their bags.

Producer Kim Ki Sik had a lot of his expectations riding on the last mission. In the meantime, there was the perfect participant to make Jun Hyuk’s image. It was a boisterous trash metal band.

 

They were like firewood to set Jun Hyuk on fire for the last time before he went into the top 10.

They were famous in Hongdae’s rock scene. They were Steel Blade.

***

The last 20 participants were eyeing each other wondering who their final partner would become as they gathered to choose the last 10 people to go on live broadcast for the top 10 race. There was certainly someone in this group who was already chosen to go into the top 10 early. If they were paired with that person, they were bound to lose.

However, there was one person who they could win if paired up with. That was none other than Jang Jun Hyuk.

He was better looking than an idol singer and looked more like a model or actor and all of the judges praised him for his producing skills. But he could never go to the top 10 of the ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ program. He was the only participant who could not sing even though it was an audition for singers.

Today’s mission was Jang Jun Hyuk’s last. All of the participants had the same thought and they were just waiting to become his partner.

The elaborate jazz piano he played in the 2nd round of Star Week. If he just did that much, they could bring in the best backing band and have him perform in the contest.

Jun Hyuk was called into his personal waiting room again and the people representing the clothing sponsor company were waiting for him brightly.

“These are the new products from our winter season. The last broadcast was fall, but this episode will be going out in November. We’ll be preparing for the winter season. I’m betting this’ll be sold out once it goes on air. Ho ho.”

The people from the company held a pair of black jeans and a checked shirt to Jun Hyuk’s body to find the right size.

“If you pass today’s round and make it into the top 10, we’re planning on getting a formal model contract with you.”

Jun Hyuk wrinkled his face as he touched the clothes, and turned to the young writer.

“I don’t want to wear it. I can just go out like this, right?”

“What? Why won’t you wear it? These are going to become the new main pieces of our company!”

The director of XOR yelled in surprise.

“Miss, how am I supposed to wear this when it’s so hot I could die?”

Looking at his scowling face, she smiled again and spoke. He was still young. She knew that it would be faster to talk him into it.

“Jun Hyuk. You have to bear it. This is business. Every scene that goes out on TV is money. You may not understand because you’re still young, but broadcast means money. You’ll be able to touch that money soon.”

Eventually, the young writer stepped in. She said the easiest words to convince him,

“This is the last time. It’s okay, right?”


	38. Chapter 38

Volume 1 / Chapter 38

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Okay, now two teams are going to get together to form one group. Everyone listen well to see who your partner will be.”

The partners were revealed one by one and the luckiest in the 3rd round team selection was not one person, but four.

“The next is the only band that passed the 2nd round, ‘Steel Blade’ and their partner will be… Jang Jun Hyuk.”

The Steel Blade members did not show it, but they were overjoyed that they had gotten one step closer to the top 10. What luck!

“We’ll reveal the mission song. It’s Jewelry’s Super Star.”

 

The song released in 2005 was the first that got Jewelry 1st place. It made the other participants jealous. It was established that it was advantageous to have a fun song.

Once all of the partners and mission songs were revealed, everyone hid their claws and started to greet their partners.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m the vocal, Han Ki Su. Oh, don’t punch me because I’m not using formal speech with you. You can use informal speech too. Ha ha.”

Jun Hyuk was uncomfortable with the band member who was acting more friendly than was necessary.

“But do you know this song?”

“The mission song? Yeah. You don’t know it?”

“No. I don’t have CDs of idol songs.”

“Then let’s hear the song first. We’ve heard it, but we don’t really remember it either.”

Everyone listened to the MP3 player. After they listened to the whole song, the members of Steel Blade sighed in relief. It did not seem like there would be any problem changing the song into band music because the song itself was very light.

“What do you think?”

“It’s fun.”

“Right? We got lucky. It won’t be hard to change it to metal.”

“I heard you’re a producing genius. Do you have any ideas?”

 

The judges’ evaluation from the 5-person mission had become a hot topic between the contestants. A producing genius worthy of the highest praise. Jun Hyuk who made great music without exposing himself could make this into a heavy metal song.

The band leader who was also the vocal had high expectations, but Jun Hyuk made all of those expectations come crashing down.

“Do as you please since we’ll be dropped anyway. I’ll go along with whatever you want to do.”

“What?”

“We can’t go to the top 10 anyway.”

Jun Hyuk’s words that came from out of the blue hit his head hard, “It can’t be. Do you know something? Is it already decided? Already?

“No. I don’t know that but you guys aren’t that good. You just fit in a band to broaden the assortment. There’s no way you don’t know you guys aren’t good, is there?”

 

They had not anticipated that this young kid would be saying that they would be eliminated because of a shortage of talent. Even the judges had given them compliments on the original song they presented in the area preliminaries. In round 1 and 2, they had received the evaluation that they were a band with feeling.

But he is saying that their skill is poor?

Jun Hyuk kept speaking in a sarcastic tone without paying attention to the members shaking in anger.

“You sir on the drums, say something. Don’t you know?”

The vocal, Han Ki Su spoke to Jun Hyuk when he suddenly sought agreement from the dummer,

“Is that right? We’re not that good? Let’s hear it then. You speak as the genius producer. What’s so bad?”

“If you force the high notes and barely hit them, the listeners are the ones who are uncomfortable. A vocalist is someone who can hit the high notes easily. ‘Soot’ catches on to it. Soot! A person who uses the voice instrument freely and well. That’s what we call a vocalist but you have a hard time with the high notes and your voice itself is lacking strength… It’s like you’re just imitating a rock band.”

“Hey! It just sounds like that because my voice is thin.”

“What are you talking about? Being thick and thin is an issue of tone. That has nothing to do with strength. Not all metal band vocals are Ronnie James Dio. There’s Klaus Meine too.”

Han Ki Su’s face felt heated as the weaknesses he was aware of were being bothered.

“Fine. Say that’s true for me. Then the guitar?”

“Guitars aren’t there just to play do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do. It’s about expressiveness. Ah, you asshole.”

While everyone was confused by the swearing that had come out of nowhere, Jun Hyuk was looking at the guitarist.

 

“Express this with the guitar. ‘Ah, you asshole.’ Or um… ‘Please excuse me this one time.’ Something like that is okay too. Scale, technique… these things aren’t important, but you don’t know that.”

Jun Hyuk went over each member one by one as though he were a judge.

“Can you play the bass all day with one beat? Without a metronome? If you can’t do that, you haven’t practiced enough. Or you can’t keep a beat.”

They had not heard such severe criticism since they started performing in Hongdae. This assessment was the same as saying that they were beginners.

They thought that he was going to tear the drummer apart next, but he did not.

“You asked me for an idea on the arrangement, right? I already finished the edit. It’s just that you guys probably won’t like it.”

He had only heard it once. After that, he had been evaluating the band members’ skills. When is he saying he finished arranging the song?

“How did you do it?”

At the words that he finished the arrangement, their curiosity overcame their indignation.

“Drum instrumental. The drum is the main. Everyone else is slight and the vocal can be taken out completely. The best thing this band can do is to support the drum.”

The VJ marking Jun Hyuk had a vague idea of the music he was trying to pursue. This arrogant young genius only thought about music. He only focused on finding the best of any song. It was certain that he never had the intentions of becoming a star.

Jun Hyuk does not care about things like hitting high notes as the public likes or familiarity that is easy to listen to. He only thinks about the music.

Though it is an old song, it is still by a girl group. He wants to change that into a drum instrumental?

When the drummer heard the words drum instrumental, he raised his hand in surprise,

“No. What do you mean a drum instrumental? It’ll never work out. Let’s just go with the usual rock. It’s easy to change this song to a rock version.”

Jun Hyuk ruined the cold atmosphere that the drummer was trying to ease again.

“Oy. Now I know. Sir, you guys are in this state now because you keep giving in. The person with the most talent should have dragged everyone along. The vocal and guitarist don’t know that they’re not that good because you cover for their singing and guitar.”

Eventually, the band leader and vocal left the practice room and the guitarist and bassist followed him to calm him down.

Producer Kim Ki Sik checked what the VJ had filmed since they were in a state where all practice was suspended, and he could not stop laughing. Jang Jun Hyuk said and acted in ways that always made news.

The discord between Jang Jun Hyuk and the other participants would undoubtedly become the best in increasing tension on the program.


	39. Chapter 39

Volume 1 / Chapter 39

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Hey, I said we don’t have time. We can’t be wasting our time being angry. Let’s at least try to do something between ourselves.”

“Then what about that asshole?”

“That asshole said himself that he would just go along with whatever we wanted to do. We can give him 2nd guitar or keyboard and he can just pound out the chords.”

The Steel Blade members were fuming. The production team had not provided them with an arranged song because they were paired with Jun Hyuk and their turn was fairly early. They needed to move quickly.

 

It was not hard to make a rock version of the song. They did not do much to the original song but add parts for the guitar, bass, and drum with a guitar solo in the middle in G major in a pentatonic scale. They of course did not forget to add shouting for the vocal.

The band members only looked for Jun Hyuk after they had practiced several times.

“Hey. You said that you would go along with whatever we wanted, right? Just scratch out the chord with the acoustic guitar. You don’t have any objections, right?”

Jun Hyuk shrugged to reply that he did not care and began to simply scratch out the chords on his guitar. The sound of his acoustic guitar was drowned out by the strong sound of the electric guitar, but Jun Hyuk did not seem to care.

Eventually, the VJ ran to the main producer. He felt like Jun Hyuk’s performance would be too flat.

 

Producer Kim Ki Sik and the program’s general music director stood by Steel Blade and listened to them practice.

“What do you think?”

“What do you mean? You don’t have ears? The main producer of a music program? How many years have you been doing this?”

Not certain if it was due to the producer or the music, but the music director looked as though he had a bad taste in his mouth. After listening to the band’s music for a while, the producer spoke out of nowhere,

“Then what about that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The drum instrumental Jun Hyuk mentioned earlier. Making the drum the main.”

“That’s something I really want to hear, but won’t people start changing the channel after 30 seconds of hearing a drum? How many people do you think like – no, know Moby Dick by Led Zeppelin? And the people who like drum solos don’t watch our program.”

 

It was the place where the top 10 was to be selected. They could not show a whole song where the drum was the main, but it could work if they edited well and saved the zest. It was unique, an advantage, and a specialty.

“If we go out like this, that band is done.”

The music director was speaking quietly, but Producer Kim raised his voice as though he wanted everyone to hear,

“Our program will be done for as well. We’ve raised the expectations for Jun Hyuk, but if the last stage is in that state… Even if they get eliminated, they’ll need to do it so they’re remembered.”

Producer Kim decided to get help from the music director to resolve this problem. The music director and Producer Kim secretly called Steel Blade into the conference room.

“We heard you guys practicing and honestly, we’re disappointed.”

“There are 10 teams right now. Two dance, two R&B, two ballad, two island and folk, one hip hop, and you guys, metal. You guys are the weakest.”

“Weak isn’t even cutting it. If you guys go the way you were just practicing, we can’t even put 10 seconds of that on air. We have to cut it up and piece it together for about 20 seconds and go straight to the judges. It’s that bad.”

“Tell us if you don’t have the confidence to do it. We’ll do the arrangement for you now if necessary.”

The band members could not lift their heads while these heads of such a grand show were criticizing them in a manner that was threatening.

 

“To tell you the truth, the chances of you guys entering the top 10 is below 10%. What can you do? Metal is a subculture in our country. At this rate, you guys are 100% getting eliminated.”

The music director looked at the band members and spoke,

“During the 80s, heavy metal was so popular that Japanese band Loudness did a world tour. But what about our country? Sinawi, Buhwal, Baekdusan. People said they were the three greatest guitarists, but they only performed in Korea. You guys think the viewers are going to listen to your music?”

“If you guys get eliminated, all you’ll have left are memories. Jun Hyuk on the other hand proved his genius with just two songs in the area preliminaries and Super Week. Even if he doesn’t get into the top 10, there are loads of people who are waiting to scout him as soon as this program is over.”

“He’ll probably be greater once he’s done with the broadcast. We put someone like him with you but what are you guys doing? Honestly, even if I don’t edit your performance, the judges will probably cut the song after about one minute. There’s nothing to hear. I’m sure you guys will hear all types of criticism too. Then you’re really ending on the worst note.”

Vocal Han Ki Su must have been unable to tolerate the comparisons to Jun Hyuk because he spoke after a long silence,

“Producer. That’s not right. Until now, the judges…”

Before Han Ki Su could even finish his words, they heard something that would have been good not to hear at all.

“What about the judges? When they praised you? You think that was sincere? Your music… honestly, it sucks. Sung Chul and Jung Soo started out in bands. You don’t know? The broadcast is a show. The judges are matching that.”

 

“In my opinion, Jun Hyuk will arrange the song better than I can. I’m saying this earnestly.”

“You guys choose. This is it for what we are thinking. Then do your best.”

The two left the room after saying that they did not have an option, not that they were giving them a choice. The members sat still for a while with dark expressions.

In the spirit of rock, they needed to quit everything and leave. However, they were just youths hungry for success.

“Bro, what do we do? Do we do what they say?”

The bassist acted as if he were asking leader Han Ki Su what they should do, but he meant that they should do as they were told to.

“Fine. Since it’s gotten to this, let’s just stand out in the performance and step all over that kid.”

Han Ki Su grit his teeth and emanated anger.

“How?”

“Didn’t he say that he would make the drum the main? Do as he says and we’ll make him second instead. A second who’s just scratching out chords will never stand out. I’m saying let’s do that.”

Han Ki Su and the guitarist who planned to drown out Jun Hyuk met eyes and nodded. The band members left the conference room and approached Jun Hyuk.

“Look here. Let’s forget all of our bad feelings and focus on the mission. I’ll be the bigger man since I’m older and apologize.”

Vocal Han Ki Su saw Jun Hyuk take the hand that he put forth and felt relief.

“You do the directing for this mission. We’ll follow you. That’s okay, right?”

“I can really do what I want?”

“Yeah. Do whatever you want.”

Jun Hyuk went to the drummer as if he had been waiting to hear that he could do as he pleased,

“By chance, can you do double bass?”

“Huh? Double?”

The drummer winced when the other members looked at him. Until now, he had never performed in double bass and there was only a single bass drum in their practice room.

The drummer glanced at his members and spoke,

“I can’t do it yet. I am practicing.”

“Hm… I guess we’ll have to do it differently.”

Jun Hyuk kept mumbling to himself and pulled a notebook out of his bag. It was printed with staff lines and looked like a notebook that a child in elementary school would use.

“Sir on the bass, do you know how to read music scores?”

The bassist nodded as he spoke,

“I’m the only one who reads scores. Everyone else learned by listening to music.”

Jun Hyuk’s hand drew out the bass line. He ripped the completed score out and passed it to the bassist saying,

 

“Since the drummer can’t play double bass, you’ll have to cover him. You’ll be able to do it.”

“Huh? Uh… I think it’ll work but… I’ll try it.”

Jun Hyuk had created the line so that the bassist would be able to play it. He could do it, he just had not done it before. Jun Hyuk led the drummer by his hand to the drum set,

“I’ll perform it while you record it on your cellphone. You can get the song listening to that, right?”

“You can play the drums?”

No matter how much the VJ filmed, Jun Hyuk kept showing new sides to himself and even seemed wonderful.

“I’m not very good at it, but I can play a little. Just think of what I play as the skeleton and put some flesh on it.”

Jun Hyuk started drumming lightly to tune the set. He must have liked the sound because he smiled and held the stick properly.

“Okay, start recording. One, two, three, four.”

Jun Hyuk signaled the start with the drumsticks and played a heavy bass. While he performed on the drums for four minutes, none of the contestants in the room even made the sound of their breathing. The drummer who had been carefully watching from next to Jun Hyuk had bloodshot eyes. He would have shed tears if Jun Hyuk had played for 10 more seconds.

He had dreamt of Canadian group RUSH’s drummer Neil Peart and practiced for countless days to the point where his palms ripped just so he could play the drums like this.

The other contestants had been thinking that Jun Hyuk was a songwriter playing the acoustic guitar. No one could close their mouths when he played the drums with the pressure of a large truck like Metallica’s drummer, Lars Ulrich.

The producer ran out to the practice room as soon as he heard that Jun Hyuk was playing the drums himself. He was not able to hear the whole performance, but he felt bliss from what he heard from after the 2-minute mark. The music director who had been watching alongside the producer could not speak properly,

“That… That kid… What is he?”

“What else? He’s destined for viewer ratings. We have to make sure he gets into the top 10. He might as well have reserved the real-time rankings for this second half. Ha ha.”

The producer laughed excitedly, but the members of Steel Blade could not laugh. Especially not the vocal and guitarist because they did not have the confidence to push past this storm-like drum with their voice and guitar sound.

Jun Hyuk paid no mind to the attention he was being given and spoke to the drummer,

“You recorded everything, right? Do you think you’ll be able to get something out of it?”

“I’ll have to. But… honestly, I don’t think I’ll be able to copy it 100%.”

Jun Hyuk had instructed him to put some flesh on this skeleton, but he did not even have the confidence to play the skeleton properly.

“Just don’t lose the bass then. That’s the main point here. If you lose the bass drum, the bassist will stand out. The bass guitar and drum are the house. The guitar and vocal are just the interior, so you’ll have to make sure you’re ready.”

The bassist and drummer loved music. The music they would have to play today was miles away from the music they had been playing until now, that they had already forgotten the friction there had been with Jun Hyuk earlier. All they were thinking was that they wanted to quickly master this great music.

“Is it our turn now? I’m a little nervous.”

The vocal and guitarist felt a bit of excitement as they went towards Jun Hyuk. However, Jun Hyuk splashed cold water on their excitement,

“The two of you can just do as you were practicing earlier. The only difference is that you need to pause during the 15 second drum solo in the middle.”

“What?”

“I told you just now. The drum and bass are the house and the guitar and vocal are the interior. The judges will be overwhelmed by the grandeur of the house anyway. They won’t be able to enter the house, so they won’t care too much about the interior.”

“Then what about you? What are you doing?”

“What you said before. I’m just going to scratch out some chords.”

Jun Hyuk left the two who were left dumbfounded at his absurd answer to help the drummer practice.


	40. Chapter 40

Volume 1 / Chapter 40

TL: LightNovelCafe

The producer gathered the production team and producers for an emergency meeting. The judges who watched Jun Hyuk play the drums on the conference room monitor had the same reaction,

“How many people in Korea can play the drums like that?”

“A monster in the music world is born. Can he play other instruments?”

“Guitar, piano, drum. That means strings, claviers, and percussions. If he does winds, he’s done all of them? He can’t play the trumpet or flute, can he?”

 

When the judges could not stop talking, Producer Kim Ki Sik felt more confident,

“What do you think? Don’t you think we need to put him in the top 10?”

“We as musicians agree, but do you think the everyday viewer will accept it? There’s still no singing. If you want to put him up there, you need to send that band too. There at least needs to be the validation that he created amazing music.”

No matter what anyone said, it was an audition selecting singers. How could they put a genius who could not sing in the top 10? Everyone had the same thought. It was a waste to eliminate someone like him.

“The judges just need to give him high praises. I’ll edit it somehow to make it acceptable.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik was the only one with confidence. Was it not the producer’s role to make fiction seem like reality?

 

“Producer Kim, do it well. Make sure there isn’t weird noise that the winner was pre-decided or that we chose based on looks again. In the end, we’re the only ones who get cursed at.”

Last season, when the handsome, ideal man won by an inch, it got to the point where Lee Sung Chul said that he would never be a judge on the show again.

However, the winner was an outstanding prize. He had female fans everywhere and he showed a sense for entertainment shows. A year later, he is on a popular variety show and he is worth a lot of money. Thanks to this, MV channel had been making a great profit.

“Sung Chul, Jun Hyuk doesn’t even have an agency. I’m saying I want to pass a kid like that. It’s not about money, so don’t worry about that.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik already had a picture of how he was going to edit the broadcast until Star Week.

 

The last of Star Week, the mission stage with the metal band, was going to become the most important component.

***

The last stage of Star Week. When the four members of Steel Blade and Jun Hyuk took their positions, the stage looked packed.

Once the arrangements were done, the order of how the performances would go on broadcast was up to the producer’s discretion, and the band was given the last turn because they had a lot of instruments to set up.

“I heard a lot of noise earlier. Did you set everything up well?”

Yoon Jung Su laughed while he asked as if he wanted to ease their nerves.

“Yes, it wasn’t really anything. The arrangement came out well too.”

“Jun Hyuk did the arrangement?”

“Yes.”

They needed to keep reminding the viewers that the following music was Jun Hyuk’s work. No matter how little Jun Hyuk has, this song is his song. They needed to point this out.

“Great. Should we listen to it?”

While everyone was tense, Jun Hyuk’s gentle guitar stroke adorned the intro. Then the bass came in as if it had been waiting with the drum following.

Vocal Han Ki Su did lose the first beat in the midst of the heaviness, but none of the members paid him any attention. This was a performance where it was overwhelming to successfully carry out each of their own parts.

 

Until the 1st line sabi (chorus) ended, the four judges moved with the music as though they were feeling the drum’s beats.

The drum solo Jun Hyuk had worked with him on came out at the bridge. This was the 15 seconds in which the drummer had to show all of the talent he had not shown as he had been matching his band members’ standards up until now.

When the drum solo started, his three members and Jun Hyuk just stared at him intently. This was so they could enter the 2nd verse on time as soon as the drum solo ended.

When 10 seconds of the drumming that sounded like fireworks had passed, Jun Hyuk suddenly stood up with his acoustic guitar.

It was different. An entirely different deployment was unfolding.

The 15 second drum solo was not for the drummer to play as he pleased. That would be an ad lib. The drum solo needed to go as it had been perfectly planned and prepared. It needed to fit in with the complete song and it needed to fuse seamlessly. Had he not polished the 15 second solo to make it perfectly?

However, when 10 seconds passed, the drummer lowered the sound of the bass drum and started to use the tom-tom and snare. It was the type of sound that gives the audience suspense right before a ghost or demon appears in a horror movie.

Due to the change in the drum, the vocal, guitar, and bassist were caught by surprise and the four judges could sense that something was going wrong.

Jun Hyuk approached the drum set with an interesting look on his face.

The drummer did not even realize that Jun Hyuk was standing in front of him. No one could tell if he knew that he was performing something different because all of his focus was on the drum set before him.

 

Jun Hyuk sat in front of the drum set. The judges now had to look at his back. They did not know when this confounding situation would be over, but Producer Kim Ki Sik did not stop it.

Producer Kim was so thankful that Star Week was pre-recorded that he did not know what to do. This would have been an extreme accident if it had happened during the top 10 live broadcast.

Since the producer in charge was staying still, the judges had no choice but to keep watching. Though they had been caught off-guard at first, as they listened to the drum solo – no, now it needed to be called an ad lib, it gave them marvel.

While the tom-tom and snare had crept in, the hi-hat took over. As the hi-hat steadily released the suspense, a refreshing race began. Jun Hyuk was still on the floor tapping his fingers on the body of the drum, relishing in the rhythm of the drum.

8 minutes passed like this and the drummer held the drumsticks he had been wielding like a whip still. He was out of breath and wiping the sweat off of his forehead when he froze.

It was only then that he realized what he had done.

It was as if time had stopped. Jun Hyuk who was sitting directly in front of the drum set was laughing, and he could see his three members looking devastated. He could also see two judges looking surprised and the other two laughing as though they were having fun from afar.

The drummer was certain of two facts.

They did not finish the mission song and he ruined this entire performance. Once he realized this, he could not lift his head again.

The drummer sat in a silence that seemed to go forever.

“Lift your chin. Why are you like that when you gave such an incredible performance?”

Judge Lee Sung Chul broke the silence.

“I forgot what the mission song was. I don’t know why you hid such talent up till now… You may not be able to become ‘Tomorrow’s Star,’ but you can become the best drummer representing Korea. I’m guaranteeing it.”

The drummer lifted his head at Lee Sung Chul’s compliments. When Yoon Jung Su saw the drummer’s face, he asked,

“Why did you start an improvised performance? It was completely different from what you practiced, right?”

 

“I don’t really know what I played. I could only see the drum set in front of me and… it felt like my head was empty…..”

Yoon Jung Su burst out in laughter at the stuttering drummer.

“Seems like you were possessed by a god. Ha ha.”

“That’s right. That does happen to musicians at times. Though it is a pity that it happened during a competition. It would have been great if it happened during a show.”

However, the relentless commentary did not fail.

Judge Son Ji Young spoke with a bad expression,

“You would receive evaluation from the audience if it were your own concert, but you need to be evaluated on how well you digested a mission song. You realize that it’s a situation where you stopped playing the mission song in the middle even if you did keep playing, right? That’s something that cannot happen. It was a performance that showed what an amateur you are.”

Lee Eun Jin’s following assessment was the same,

“The evaluation could have been different if the song had been completed when the drum ended. However, when the solo was over, everyone stood there blankly. How could you make such a mistake? Even if it was a great performance, you all need to know this stage was ruined.”

The members of Steel Blade lost even the slightest bit of hope they had. The drummer who had brightened up at the compliments hung his head again. What had he done to his members?

***

The evaluation ended at Producer Kim Ki Sik’s sign and the results were revealed.

Son Jin Young was holding the mic,

“This mission… there isn’t a winner. Jang Jun Hyuk and Steel Blade are both eliminated. You worked hard.”

The drummer who stumped back to the waiting room could not lift his face and kept repeating his apologies,

“Shit, just beat me up. If I hadn’t done something so stupid… I’m really sorry. I have nothing to say.”

“It’s okay. As he said, we were just included to sort the range of genres. I’m happy that you were able to show your full talent. That’s enough, right?”

Vocal and leader Han Ki Su pat the drummer’s back. On the one hand, he was also envious. It was not an easy feat to get compliments from Korea’s best singer.

The drummer who had been engulfed in the drum’s aftertaste, his busy thoughts, and the regret, picked up his things and approached Jun Hyuk,

“Thanks. I’m relieved because of you. I’ve gained the confidence to say that I’m a drummer wherever I go.”

“Don’t be too disappointed that you were eliminated from the auditions. You’ll get famous anyway.”

“Do you want to give me your phone number? Let’s keep in touch. Can I go to the cafe you work at?”

“Sure, mister. I want to perform with you again somewhere down the road.”

The drummer spoke to Jun Hyuk who saved his phone number,

“Hey! Why are you calling me mister? Call me brother.”

“I’ll see you later.”

He reaffirmed that this young genius did not open up his heart easily.


	41. Chapter 41

Volume 1 / Chapter 41

TL: LightNovelCafe

All Star Week missions were over, but the top 10 finalists were not decided. There were eight winners because there was another team that had been completely eliminated like Jun Hyuk’s.

They needed to pick two more people to complete the top 10.

However, the truth was that the broadcast station had not finished coordinating the last of the contracts they had with the entertainment agencies. The legal and production teams were busy making the final touches.

Once they were finished tuning the contracts with the entertainment agencies, Producer Kim Ki Sik felt like his head was going to explode. They had decided the order of elimination and each team’s song selection for the top 10 performances. They had to design the broadcast as if it were a puzzle without any easy pieces.

 

On top of that, all of this had to align with the contents of the contracts, it had to look natural to the viewers, and the quality of the stages had to be up to par. There were plenty of other audition programs.

His head still hurt when he thought of the verbal abuse they had suffered on the internet last season.

They had put in a song by a girl group that went off a sexy concept without vocals. The participant that had to sing that song was a rock band. The arrangement was good, so they did not think that there would be any issues, but that week’s stage theme happened to be ‘The Song of My Life’.

The members of the rock band were older than the members of the girl group. In a way, it should have been expected that the viewers would be angry.

 

Not only did most rock bands not listen to idol or girl group songs, but they got most of their inspiration from British and American rock bands. But it was ‘The Song of My Life’! Moreover with a young girl group’s song.

This season needed to be perfect. The entertainment market grew by the day. Mistakes could not be tolerated to the point where the company’s profits depended on each broadcast.

“Okay. There’s only one person who needs to be added to the top 10 no matter what, right? Nam Seung Hee?”

“Yes. We completed the contract with her agency.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik and the production team went into the selection process for the remaining two seats in the top 10.

“Then if we confirm the 9 people… it’s exactly 10 if we put Jun Hyuk in there.”

Producer Jo spoke cautiously,

“But senior, there are some problems if we do it like this.”

“I know. You’re talking about the fat kid and the girl with the braces, right?”

 

“Yes. Kwak Hye Sung and Jang Na Rae. The judges have been giving those two good evaluations as well and their prospects aren’t bad either. Kwak Hye Sung could hit it big if he just loses a little weight… and Jang Na Rae seems like she could shine once her braces come out and her looks get better with the limelight.”

It went without saying that their singing skills were not a joke either.

“Then why aren’t there any calls for them? Agencies these days don’t have an eye for these things?”

“Well, I guess it’s because of Jun Hyuk. The agencies are only trying to get Jun Hyuk. They’re good kids in their own rights, but they can’t get any attention because Jun Hyuk overshadows them.”

Producer Jo shook his head at the thought of the flood of calls. He picked up dozens of calls from agencies asking for a chance to meet Jang Jun Hyuk everyday.

“The problem is that if we don’t put these two up, we’ll have to edit everything out. There are a few kids in the top 10 who don’t sing as well as these two do. Especially if people like Nam Seung Hee advance, we’ll really get feedback that we choose the winners by their looks.”

“What do we do? Go with top 12?”

“If we do that, we need to get permission to go on air for another week. Are we okay to do that?”

If there was an episode extension, the main writer had an increase in work and income. The main writer was not a full-time employee, but was working on a contract. The number of episodes directly affected the income. It was bound to be a sensitive issue.

“Pil Jae, go to the consultants and see if we can get another week.”

“Got it.”

Producer Jo and Pil Jae ran to the conference room.

“If we can’t get the extension, we can shorten the two-part epilogue to one. That’s okay, right?”

 

Producer Kim looked to the main writer as if seeking consent. He had already settled on going with top 12 finalists.

“So we’re decided on doing top 12?”

“Yeah. How much money do we get from the digital sales of two songs? It’s not a bad thing.”

“Isn’t our show going to become top 12 permanently like this?”

“Last season was top 11. It’s fine.”

They finalized their decision to go with the top 12. Kwak Hye Sung and Jang Na Rae did not know that the two of them had gotten on a train from hell to heaven.

“Then make the order for the broadcast with those finalists. Make sure you check the order of eliminations.”

“Yes.”

“I’m going to go get interviews from the additional contestants. Oh right, this Thursday is the airing of the first episode. Finish up the editing.”

Everyone sighed at Producer Kim’s words. They could say goodbye to eating at home for the next month while the program aired. The conference room seemed to be full of the smell of cup ramen and rice rolls already.

***

“First, Jung Soo should talk to Jun Hyuk in an interview format. Make it fairly long since I’ll be editing the best parts of it…..”

“Producer Kim, I’m going to do it honestly. If he doesn’t show potential, I’m just going to eliminate him. I’ll interview him if you agree to this. If not, give up on Jun Hyuk.”

 

It seemed that Judge Yoon Jung Su felt burdened that he was the person allowing Jun Hyuk to advance to the top 10 when he had just been sitting blankly during the last performance. He hit the wall even before his interview with Jun Hyuk. Producer Kim Ki Sik understood Yoon Jung Su’s worries, so he agreed,

“Fine, let’s go with the truth. Since he’s going out on live television without singing, the viewers will be able to accept him to a certain extent if he can convince you. If you need to eliminate him, do it. I’ll give up on him too.”

Yoon Jung Su’s face became brighter as soon as Producer Kim agreed to his terms,

“Oh right, what agency is Nam Seung Hee in?”

“You’re so naive. Why do you think Jin Young came on the show? Ha ha.”

“She’s in JYS? That girl is?”

“Yes. I think they’re trying to make her the second Ji Na. Sexy and pretty good at singing.”

“That’s possible since Nam Seung Hee’s voice is better. Her looks are okay too.”

From the regretful look on his face, it seemed like he had been thinking of bringing her into his agency.

“We also decided to let the fatty and brace face advance. Sung Chul and Lee Eun Jin are going to interview them.”

“Who? Fatty? Brace face? Oh, Kwak Hye Sung and Jang Na Rae. Yeah, those two were a pity to eliminate. You thought well.”

The top 12 were decided and in order to create material for the show, Yoon Jung Su went to meet Jun Hyuk who had already started packing his bags to leave.


	42. Chapter 42

Volume 1 / Chapter 42

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Music is thought.”

Yoon Jung Su saw Jun Hyuk in a different light when he responded without hesitation. Amateurs tended to think that music was sacred. Usually, the answers to a question like this was that it was their dream, life, or challenge. That was after much contemplation as well.

“Thought? Why?”

“People have all kinds of thoughts all day without a second to spare. It’s because I have music instead of those thoughts.”

“There’s constantly music in your head?”

“Sometimes it’s music and sometimes they’re sounds since sounds are also music. No… is music sounds? It’s confusing.”

Yoon Jung Su thought that fireworks had gone off in his head. Could he have been born with the God-given talent that is said to be lucky to appear once a century?

 

There is a saying in art and sports: There’s only one way a person who tries hard can beat a person born with talent. He can win if the person born with talent quits.

The first people who recognize a gift are parents. Even today, there are countless children who are led to the doors of famous musicians or artists by their parents. They all say the same words,

“We have no doubt that our child is a genius.”

However, the reply is also always the same,

“No, he has some talent but he is not a genius. He’s simply a little more advanced than the average child. That difference is very insignificant as well.”

The parents leaving all say,

“He can’t even recognize a genius!”

The former world record for the 100m race for 23 years was 0.16 seconds. But the monster Usain Bolt shortened it to 0.14 seconds in a year while beating his own record.

Usain Bolt’s spine is curved due to a congenital disease scoliosis.

 

As such, there are also people who are born with a talent that others cannot attain with hard work. There is an innate ranking in gifts one is born with.

Yoon Jung Su was curious about the ranking of Jun Hyuk’s talent when he said that he constantly heard music,

“Then do you want to become a star through your music?”

“They said that I don’t need to make an effort to be a star. They said that I would become a star no matter what because I was born a genius.”

“Who said that?”

“My boss.”

“Your boss? Oh, the owner of the cafe you work at?”

“Yes.”

Could it be that a cafe owner who does not know anything is mistaken in believing that Jun Hyuk’s insignificant talent was something incredible? Was this case like with other parents who were under the illusion that their children were geniuses? Is this why Jun Hyuk had such an arrogant personality?

“Why does your boss think that?”

“I never forget a song I hear once and he said that every sound in the world becomes music in my head. All I have to do is get out the music that’s in my head. What did he say that was….?”

“Absolute pitch?”

“Yes, that’s right. Absolute pitch. He said that only a few people are born with this talent and of them, I’m top quality.”

“Remembering music after hearing it once could just mean that you have a really good memory. And getting the music in your head out doesn’t mean that you’re a genius. That music has to be good.”

“Is that right?”

Writing the entire music scores of all instruments in an hour long symphony was impossible with a good memory. This is what the cafe owner said, but music expert Yoon Jung Su was saying something different. Jun Hyuk tilted his head slightly.

Jun Hyuk tried to speak, but was cut off when Yoon Jung Su continued to talk,

 

“And you’ve only shown us your arrangements until now. You’ve never made your own music. Of course the arranging skills you’ve shown us are outstanding. However, in music you need to have a fundamental creative base. I want to see if you’ve got creative potential.”

At that moment, Jun Hyuk’s eyes sparkled,

“I want to do my music as well, but they keep saying stuff about mission songs and won’t let me do my own.”

“What? Ha ha ha. There is that. Hey, Producer Kim! This is your fault.”

Yoon Jung Su yelled to Producer Kim Ki Sik who was filming the interview from a distance. The fast-thinking VJ filmed this scene including Producer Kim Ki Sik who was laughing in shock.

“Then do you have an original song prepared?”

“I have a lot. I can make a few in a day if I put my mind to it.”

“What? A few songs in one day? Hah.”

The people who created the most songs in the shortest time were children. They made music while constantly humming, but none of the songs were fit to be used.

Teenagers wrote songs by scratching out the guitar chords they are used to hearing. They may not know it themselves, but it was plagiarism. With songs like this, it was possible to make dozens in a day.

“Then should we hear it? What do you think? How about the song you like most out of all the songs you’ve made so far?”

Jun Hyuk thought for a bit and spoke,

“The song I like most is difficult to play right now. It’s a symphony so I need an orchestra.”

“What symphony?”

“Yes. Oh… right. There’s something I made not too long ago. During the 2nd mission with Nam Seung Hee, I made a song that would be perfect for her tone. I’ll play that for you.”

Yoon Jung Su was taken aback by the two words, symphony and orchestra, that Jun Hyuk had just said. What did he mean, symphony?

 

The only famous Korean composer was Yoon Yi Sang. From Kyeongnam, Tongyong, he performed in Germany and was proudly chosen to be in New York Metropolitan Museum’s 20 contemporary musicians.

No other composer came to mind. Of course there was a decrease in the number of people composing symphonies these days, but this was an issue of basic skills.

How could a teenager he had thought of as immature talk about symphonies?

Yoon Jung Su wanted to hang on to Jun Hyuk and ask him, but he was already sitting at a piano,

“Teacher, I’ll start now.”

Jun Hyuk smiled brightly as he started playing the piano. That smile did not disappear until the music ended.

Yoon Jung Su pictured a Pocari Sweat commercial from Jun Hyuk’s song. Warm sunlight, a beautiful blue sea. Greece’s Santorini with walls as white as a swan.

The piano melody was smooth, beautiful, and clear.

“What do you think? Teacher? Are you okay?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s good. Really.”

There was nothing else to say. It was good. Really good. It could be played for at least 20 years.

“You said you made this two days ago? During the 2nd mission?”

 

“Yes. Nam Seung Hee sang the Finkl song as a jazz song then. But it seemed like ballads are perfect for that girl.”

“So you just made a ballad song on the spot?”

“Yes.”

“How about the lyrics? What is it about? Did you write them?”

“Oh, I can’t write lyrics.”

“You haven’t written them?”

“No, I’m saying I can’t write lyrics. It hasn’t been long since I learned hangul… and I’m not very good at expressing emotions with words.”

He could not believe that it had not been long since Jun Hyuk learned hangul, but he remembered Jun Hyuk’s past and shut his mouth. Expressing emotions. Expression itself is spoken or in writing. Expressing with speech and writing is literature.

Jun Hyuk had learned too little to express himself in words. When Yoon Jung Su did not speak, Jun Hyuk said something unexpected,

“Could you perhaps write the lyrics?”

“What? Me?”

“Yes, you write songs well.”

“I don’t know. You made the song. You have to write the lyrics according to your emotions. Isn’t it weird if I write them?”

“No… I took my emotions and made the song, so couldn’t you write the lyrics according to the emotions you felt by listening to it?”

Jun Hyuk’s potential had already been confirmed after hearing the song he made for Nam Seung Hee. There was also a reason why he did not sing and was persistent on playing instrumentals. His intention was to give everyone listening to his music the freedom to feel and interpret it.

Yoon Jung Su realized that Jun Hyuk had the capacity to become an impressive musician instead of being just another singer.

Kim Ki Sik who had been filming this entire interview smiled widely as he thought that he had killed two birds with one stone. A song created for one girl. Yoon Jung Su confirmed Jun Hyuk’s musicality with this song and the camera had filmed his feelings for Nam Seung Hee.

All that was left was what viewers called the devil’s edit.


	43. Chapter 43

Volume 1 / Chapter 43

TL: LightNovelCafe

Producer Kim Ki Sik who had watched the first episode’s edit compilation picked out two points of significance as an artist chooses the emphasis of a work.

“Only include Jun Hyuk and Nam Seung Hee’s previews. Don’t change it or make it with the kids who sing well.”

“Do you want to blur their faces?”

“No, both of their faces are their weapons. Just put in 10 seconds of Nam Seung Hee in the middle. Mix pieces of Jun Hyuk’s story together and put it in the ending. Just 15 seconds. End it with a close-up of his face. Okay?”

“Isn’t it too blatant?”

“So let’s see it. We can see which would be better to air. We’ll see if Jun Hyuk can or can’t beat everyone’s singing with just his looks. Don’t put Jun Hyuk’s story in tomorrow’s press release, either.”

“Take him out of the press release?”

“Yeah. We’re going to pit the 15 minutes of exposure against the whole program without borrowing the strength of a press release.”

The limitations of a live broadcast. Jun Hyuk’s performance without singing could not bring out the liveliness of the scene. His intention was to see if Jun Hyuk could make up for these shortcomings and get him to the top 5 if it was possible.

 

“Then, how about the top 10 tournament? You planned everything without any contract violations, right?”

“Yes. We’ll progress with this order if you confirm, and start allocating the mission songs.”

“Okay. Let’s see it.”

The contestants in the top 12 would live together for 40 days while preparing for the live broadcast, sweating to be the best. However, that sweat cannot push someone to the top spot. Their dreams were being decided in this conference room following a contract that adults made.

“First, how many are there in large agencies?”

“Four people. We already finished talks with these. There’s no need to advance two of them any further. According to their contracts, we only need to get them on the first stage of the live broadcast.”

“So they’ll be the first two to be eliminated?”

“Yes.”

Top 10 decided.

“The remaining two are automatically the next to be eliminated?”

“Yes. Articles saying they are signing with their respective agencies will go out once the program is over, and we’ll get 20% of their profits after they debut…..”

Top 8 decided.

“The cable channel didn’t ask for anything?”

“We aren’t told what the contract with the cable channel says. It’s not even the top 5 but the early eliminations so…..”

“There are three kids without agencies. These are the next people to be eliminated.”

“Right.”

Top 5 decided.

“You’ve only planned the rest of the kids to top 5, right?”

“Yes. I’m sure they’re thinking that they’ve chosen through enough if we’ve reached the top 5.”

 

The broadcast station and agencies knew after going through four seasons that there was enough publicity if they just got to the top 5.

“No one has requested the top 3 yet”

“No.”

Up to here was the middle of the betting race where the agencies were gathered. The agencies would watch the broadcast and see the reactions. Following that reaction, they would decide if they would bet more or put their cards down.

“Oh yeah, there’s a place requesting the win. Jessica. You know Mango Entertainment, right?”

“Mango? The company that a manager from SN created when he left? Mango keeps pushing for it?

 

“Yes. Their investors are good and they have two good idol teams. They prepared this girl a lot and are busy trying to make her the 2nd Park Jung Hyun.”

It was fully possible. She had received high praises from the judges during the area preliminaries when they did not know which agency she was in. She had proved that her vocals were perfected with four years as a trainee.

“Did they say they signed with a cable channel?”

“Yes. The deal being made is that if they make them 1st place, they take 20% of the profits for 5 years and they’ll put the debut song on the top three stations, and on the condition that they make 1st place on the music program, they take 20% of the profits for 2 years.”

The total profit they discussed was not just the money brought in from music. Advertisements and TV appearances were also included. The only money they could not take was what was made from performing at events. Since most did not bill their taxes, it was difficult to identify the revenue. If they stopped billing the taxes? They would definitely take it.

“Five years? The condition is good. Most places end it after three years.”

“They’re asking us to make her number one no matter what.”

“Say she wins, who’s working on her debut song? Nothing matters if the song sucks… She won’t be able to gain popularity.”

“They’re thinking of taking the safe route. They’re going to release a single and work on a remake album. Apparently, they even got the copyrights.”

It was evident that they had prepared thoroughly. It was up to Jessica whether this preparation would go on to become a success or end with failure.

“What about the remaining four?”

“There isn’t much difference between them. They only asked to be in the top 5 anyway. The conditions are the customary 20% for two years. Their intention is to watch the response and act then.”

This is how the size of these youths’ dreams were decided. Producer Kim Ki Sik brought up his hidden card Jun Hyuk,

 

“The problem is Jun Hyuk…. How far should we advance him? Put him in 5th place?”

“I really think I’m going to go crazy.”

Producer Jo looked upset as soon as discussion on Jun Hyuk started.

“Because Jun Hyuk doesn’t listen?”

“Jun Hyuk doesn’t listen but it’s also the cafe owner who is his guardian. I tell him I’ll link him with an entertainment agency, but he doesn’t listen. He says he’s not interested.”

“I think he’s trying to make his own agency with Jun Hyuk as his poster boy. Aren’t there a lot of people like that?”

“It’s obvious. Even if that cafe owner really makes an agency and tries to train Jun Hyuk, it’s impossible and he doesn’t know that.”

This industry’s entertainment market was run on a system. At the center of that system was money and networking.

Just because a Misari cafe owner discovered a kid with talent did not mean that everything went the way he planned. If the cafe owner was in his early 30s, he might be able to settle around 10 years later. However, he was already in his mid-40s. It was an impossible dream.

“So what I’m trying to say is that Dine Music is going after Jun Hyuk the most and they want to do some work. What should I do?”

“Dine?”

“Yes. Dine is big in Japan. They say with Jun Hyuk’s looks and skills, he’d do better in Japan than in Korea… Japan’s performing arts can’t be compared with ours.”

“Hm, that sounds good.”

As the main producer showed a positive reaction, Assistant Director Pil Jae’s face brightened. Producer Kim thought that guy must have at least been invited to drink with Dine Music.

“Right? That’s what Dine Music was saying. If he just does two years of promotions, he has the potential to earn at least $100,000 easily after.”

“So? How do they want to work?”

“They’re going to make the cafe owner into a villainous thief.”

“Thief?”

“Yes. He brought on an orphan and didn’t pay him anything for his labor. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s trying to exploit him for money just because he has a talent in music. He didn’t take any measures while he was bothering him for two years and just because he went out on broadcast, he acquired guardianship. This type of story.”

“It’s true. He he.”

“These were revealed as clear facts. I think it’ll work too.”

The production team sitting in the conference room and Dine Music did not have feelings of animosity or resentment toward the cafe owner, Yoon Kwang Hun. This was just work. Everyone thought this way. They needed to do a good job to make money and to do this, they needed to address whatever made their work difficult.

Yoon Kwang Hun was just an obstacle to their work.

“That’s something Dine Music needs to do on their own. We can just forget about it in the meantime. They can go through with it or not.”

Producer Kim was certain that Assistant Director Pil Jae had been approached by Dine Music when he quickly started talking after he said to forget about it,

 

“About that… It seemed like they wanted us to help out a bit.”

“Us? How are we supposed to help them?”

“It’s obvious that Jun Hyuk will become one of the trending topics next week when the show airs. They said they were going to spread the articles then…..”

The assistant director hesitated a bit.

“So?”

“Jun Hyuk can’t see the articles. It’s all over if Jun Hyuk tells reporters that the cafe owner is like his father.”

“So they’re asking us to cover his eyes and ears?”

“Yes. He goes into the boarding house this week anyway. If we make sure they don’t get internet and phone access… They can end it in three weeks. And we have to make sure the people around him don’t say anything as well.”

It was certain that this assistant director was deeply involved with Dine Music as he was acting as their messenger altogether.

Producer Kim did not want to reproach him. He had been working as an assistant director in the strenuous world of variety programs for three years. If he had not had these kinds of bonuses, he would have quit a long time ago.

“For free?”

“Excuse me?”

Producer Kim smirked at the assistant director,

“To do that, they need us no matter what. What you just said is that we need to completely cut Jun Hyuk off from the outside.”

Assistant Director Pil Jae tried to see whether or not Producer Kim was angry first. Producer Kim had already figured it out that he had gone to the room salon with someone from Dine Music. Fortunately, he did not seem angry.

“We need to prepare the foundation. They’re asking us to edit the highlights of the hard life Jun Hyuk had as an orphan and his miserable life for when the broadcast airs. That way, the article about his exploitation as a slave will become bigger news.”

No one could speak. This was not just an issue of Dine Music. The broadcast production team was becoming an accomplice. It meant that they were getting actively involved in making one person into garbage.

“Pil Jae.”

“Yes.”

“Tell Dine Music to come in. Someone higher than an executive. Someone with a say. We need to decide after hearing the master plan. Schedule a meeting for today. The broadcast goes out next week so we don’t have time. Oh right, tell the legal team to join the meeting as well.”

“I’ll do that.”

“We need to progress with these things thoroughly since we’re taking a lot of risks.”

Assistant Director Pil Jae may be content with having drinks, but this did not cut it close for the main producer, Kim Ki Sik. He wanted to receive a secret offer from Dine Music.


	44. Chapter 44

Volume 1 / Chapter 44

TL: LightNovelCafe

As Jun Hyuk had said, people from apparel brand XOR came to the cafe. The XOR officials were edgy while Yoon Kwang Hun read through the contract meticulously.

The broadcast had warned them that the cafe owner was very precise. They still had not thought that he would read through all six pages of the contract.

Yoon Kwang Hun began to speak once he was done reading the contract,

“The main point is this? If he has a scandal during the year after ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ starts, we need to compensate the damages. Is that right?”

“Ah… yes. That is content that is typically included.”

 

“Hm, sir. I guess you haven’t heard the rumors yet?”

Yoon Kwang Hun put the contract down and coughed.

“Excuse me?”

“Jun Hyuk punched another kid during Star Week.”

“Oh, we know about that.”

“He’s a kid plenty capable of cursing at the judges. Live broadcast? He doesn’t know what that means because he doesn’t care about the cameras once he goes into his music. But live like the ideal child for one year? This is asking us not to sign on.”

“Hey, sir. You’re being too much. Surely he won’t cause any accidents on live broadcast?”

 

“It’s true. What I’m most worried about is that he’ll say ‘You don’t know shit and you’re being annoying!’ if the judges say something he doesn’t agree with.”

The XOR Manager’s face brightened,

“We’re grateful if he causes scandals like that. Ha ha.”

“Excuse me?”

“The concept of this season’s jean is the rebel. We chose Jun Hyuk based on that concept. He doesn’t fear the judges and says what he wants? This overlaps with a teenager rebelling against a teacher or adult. Kids like it. The terms you pointed out are in reference to issues like drinking and assaulting someone, drugs, girls.”

“What… a 17 year old and alcohol, drugs, girls?”

Yoon Kwang Hun had not even thought of such absurd situations. Did people in the entertainment industry act like adults no matter what age they were on they gained fame?

“If Jun Hyuk becomes famous once the program ends, he’ll be called to different places, go to parties for his album release… there will be accidents. Especially with Jun Hyuk, girls will be all over him. He’s at an age where he won’t be able to say no. That’s why kids have management companies. The companies resolve all of these types of accidents. The reason why people like the larger companies is that they stop the articles no matter how big a scandal is. The reporters are scared of them.”

 

They just had to stay quiet until ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ was over. Jun Hyuk was staying in a boarding house until the end of the program anyway. Whatever the XOR official was worried about would not be a problem.

Once the program was over, Jun Hyuk needed to focus on studying abroad and not on become a celebrity as everyone else was assuming.

Jun Hyuk could not bear being ordered around. The life of a celebrity was hard. He had to do what he was told until he became a recognized star.

“Then let’s do this. Let’s write out what the ‘unsavory acts’ are specifically. The drugs, assault, girls, et cetera you spoke of. Doesn’t a contract need to be specific?”

“That sounds good. We’ll change that part. Do you have any other suggestions?”

“Four poster shoots and two promotional video shoots. This video is for the TV?”

“No, it’s internet advertising. Of course if Jun Hyuk has enough star power, they could go on TV.”

“Then let’s agree to that.”

“Are you satisfied with the guarantee?”

“I realize that $20,000 for a total rookie is a very generous condition. Isn’t it normally $5,000?”

The XOR Manager’s face brightened. When they were first drafting the contract, they were grappling with $5,000 and were allowed to go a little higher, but the marketing director cut everyone off bluntly. She said that he was a model worth the expense. She also said that he might turn against XOR indefinitely if they went too hard from the beginning. The XOR marketing director had a conviction about Jun Hyuk.

 

The XOR Manager did not lose his chance when Yoon Kwang Hun showed satisfaction at the guarantee,

“Thank you for recognizing this. It really is a generous condition. Our Director really has an eye for people. Jun Hyuk will become a star. Our Director is sure of it.”

The XOR Manager left the cafe saying that he would bring back a revised contract.

***

That night, Yoon Kwang Hun and Jun Hyuk watched the first episode of ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ together at the cafe. Yoon Kwang Hun watched while drinking a beer, waiting for Jun Hyuk to come out, but all that aired of him was 10 seconds after 1 hour and 20 minutes.

“Hey! Did you know you weren’t coming out this week?”

“No. They didn’t say anything about that.”

Jun Hyuk must have been fascinated that he was on TV because he was a little excited. TV has a strange charm. One begins to think that he is special.

Yoon Kwang Hun worried about what he had to do if Jun Hyuk became more concerned about becoming a star than he did about his music, but it was already too late. He brought up another topic to ease his ominous thoughts,

“Is the girl whose preview came on in the middle Nam Seung Hee? She’s pretty.”

“Right? Truthfully, she does look prettier on the TV screen. I’m going to try to get her to go out with me while we’re living in the boarding house.”

“Why? She said she’s interested in you too?”

“I have to blow her away. I’m going to make her a song. There’s no problem. He he.”

“Do well with her, but you can’t cause any trouble. Oh right, when you go into the boarding house tomorrow, they’ll make you do all sorts of things. They’re going to make you exercise and dance. You saw last season, right?”

 

“It’s okay. If they bother me too much, I can just quit everything and get out of there. Those people can’t cut me. I overheard them talking about how I’ll be the factor guaranteeing their viewer ratings this season. Ha ha.”

It was understandable since he was a kid who had survived on watching for other people’s reactions alone. He would be able to figure out that he is necessary just by looking at the faces of the staff members.

“Anyway, don’t act too much on your impatience and go along with what they say for the most part. Do what you can and if there’s something you really can’t do, don’t throw a tantrum and go tell the producer.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“You’re really going out in society now. You were on the boundaries of society when you were living alone, but it’s not like that anymore. Now, you have to fit in to a certain extent. You also have to learn to be patient until you become a person that no one can touch.”

“Don’t worry. Am I a child?”

“You’re being cocky. Hey, you’re still a kid.”

Yoon Kwang Hun felt that his nagging was unusually long and shut his mouth to start cleaning the cafe. Jun Hyuk was like his son, but he did not want to become like other fathers and sons. He wanted to be like an uncle and at times, a close friend.

“Go to sleep early. You have to go all the way to Sangam-dong tomorrow morning. Are you done packing?”

“They told me that I don’t need to bring anything. They’ll give me all the clothes I need to wear once I get there… even the underwear and socks. I’ll just take my guitar.”

“Sure. I’ll come early in the morning.”

“No, that’s okay. I can just take the bus.”

“It’s fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Yoon Kwang Hun who came early in the morning to drop Jun Hyuk off in Sangam-dong thought he might know how parents feel when they are sending their children far away.


	45. Chapter 45

Volume 1 / Chapter 45

TL: LightNovelCafe

A week later. The 2nd episode of ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ finally started. Yoon Kwang Hun watched the broadcast with interest. However, he turned the TV off when it ended with Jun Hyuk playing Jung Tae Jun’s ‘Poet’s Town’.

He was uncomfortable.

They had only highlighted the dark and pitiful parts of Jun Hyuk’s past. They had clearly said that he played eight versions of the song, but they did not even air a full minute of this guitar performance.

Instead, an interview over 3 minutes on his past came out with a scene of him sitting dejectedly alone in the waiting room with melancholic background music and a narration of his depressing story.

It was as he had expected. The broadcast station had taken the direction of concepts like the forced pity and success story. Yoon Kwang Hun went to bed with the uneasy thoughts hoping that they would highlight more of Jun Hyuk’s music during Star Week.

 

The next morning, Yoon Kwang Hun received a phone call from an employee opening the cafe in Jun Hyuk’s place,

“You’re already at work? You’re working hard since Jun Hyuk isn’t here.”

– Boss. It’s crazy here.

“Why? What’s going on this early in the morning?”

– Reporters are swarming the front of the cafe.

The strength of a broadcast was scary. It seemed Jun Hyuk had already become a hot topic after his first appearance yesterday.

“It’s okay. Jun Hyuk’s air time went on broadcast. That’ll be why they’re there.”

 

– No! I’m telling you that’s not it. Boss, go on the internet. It’s no joke!

When Yoon Kwang Hun put down the phone and turned on his laptop, he felt as though he had been hit across the back of his head with a stone.

The top three real-time searches on the largest portal site were Jang Jun Hyuk, Tomorrow’s Star, and ‘villainous cafe owner’.

‘Villainous cafe owner?’

This had to be him.

“Hey, I’ll call you later. Hang up.”

Yoon Kwang Hun read through each article on the portal site and grimaced.

[Tomorrow’s Star, Hot Topic Guitarist. Jang Jun Hyuk. 2 Years of Slave Labor?]

[Life of Slavery After a Life on the Streets?]

[Cafe Owner’s Identity? A Good Samaritan Taking in an Orphan? A Villain Bothering a Penniless Child?’]

[Living at a Cafe? Locked Up?]

Yoon Kwang Hun shut his laptop.

He had worried that Jun Hyuk might get hurt from his past being revealed because of the broadcast, but this was unexpected. The arrows were shooting at his own direction.

“These assholes!”

Yoon Kwang Hun paced his room and picked up his phone,

“Hey, it’s me… Starting today, don’t go to work until I say otherwise. Close the cafe doors now and just go home. Hang a sign to say that we’re temporarily closed.”

 

He lit a cigarette and read the articles again. They made him out to be a villainous thief in subtle wording. It was not something he could keep avoiding. He even thought he might need to go to Jun Hyuk’s boarding house and go into a press conference.

Just then, he thought of someone he could consult with. Yoon Kwang Hun hesitated for a moment before he picked up his cellphone. He was reluctant for a while until he dialed the phone number.

To call someone he had not been in contact with for a long time to ask for a favor? Was this not the same as texting a wedding invitation to a long forgotten high school classmate? Nonetheless, this was the only person he had to go to for help. Yoon Kwang Hun hit send.

He heard an overly friendly voice over the phone,

– Wow, is this really Yoon Kwang Hun? How long has it been?

“Is this Seung Ho? You haven’t deleted my phone number yet?

– Why would I delete your number? I just haven’t contacted you first because it seemed you were avoiding me. How are you?

“Seung Ho, I’ll give you the details later, but I need your help. I’ve fallen into a bit of an embarrassing situation.”

– Why? What happened? Are you still working with funds? Didn’t you quit all of that to run a cafe and live freely?

“No, that’s not it but look at Naver. You’ll know then. Look at all of it and call me back.”

Yoon Kwang Hun hung up and just got in his car. As he rode the freeway, he saw a milestone that read Hyeyiri. He turned into the direction of the Hyeyiri sign and stopped at the first cafe he saw to order coffee and wait for the phone call.

However, two hours passed and there was no call.

‘Shoot. Did I contact him for no reason?’

He drank his iced coffee to cool the burning inside.

Baek Seung Ho was a lawyer at the law firm Future Asset had partnered with at the time when he was making hundreds of millions.

They had been close as they got along well and had gone drinking together two or three times a week, but Yoon Kwang Hun had cut all contact when he lost everything and left the industry.

Yoon Kwang Hun had deliberately avoided anyone linked to his swanky past. But this is when he needed a reliable friend.

He had contacted him thinking that he would help due to the friendship that had before but… was that friendly voice just a courtesy? Yoon Kwang Hun felt embarrassed that he had become a forgotten failure to Baek Seung Ho.

He decided that he needed to find a motel to stay at for the time being because he could not go back to his house or cafe. He left the cafe and walked around Hyeyiri before drinking a beer.

A restaurant employee looked at Yoon Kwang Hun pathetically as he drank a beer before lunchtime, but he did not have the luxury to mind such attention. He was more hurt by the fact that he had become a nuisance to someone than he was by the verbal abuse on the internet.

He left the restaurant once he was in a completely drunken state to avoid the eyes of the restaurant employees. He stopped at a convenience store to buy canned beers and went to a motel. He drank until he passed out in a motel room.


	46. Chapter 46

Volume 1 / Chapter 46

TL: LightNovelCafe

He woke up to his phone’s constant ringing. He was scared to pick up the phone. Could it be a reporter? The caller ID said that it was Baek Seung Ho.

When he slid to accept the call, there was a sound so loud he thought the phone was on speaker mode,

– What are you doing that you don’t pick up your phone! Do you know how many times I called you since yesterday!

“What? Yesterday? What time is it right now?”

– Good job. You’re just at peace. I stayed up all night.

Yoon Kwang Hun opened the motel room’s thick curtains and the bright sunlight spilled into the room.

 

– Did you pass out drinking? Oy. It’s a mystery as to how you were a fund manager with such a fragile mentality.

As Yoon Kwang Hun drank a glass of water to quench his dry throat, he came to his senses,

“Did you call a lot yesterday?”

– Look at your call log. Anyway, congratulations. I’ll have to buy you a drink later. You’ve hit 1st place in real-time searches. Ha ha ha.”

He almost teared up. He was not yet a nuisance to Baek Seung Ho. There was still a person who was willing to help him.

“I was in 3rd place before, now I’m 1st?”

– Congratulations, you’re a famous person. No, are you a celebrity?

“Stop talking nonsense. What do I have to do?”

– Let’s check one thing first. Why did you keep Jang Jun Hyuk? You’re not one to use an orphan just to save on employee wages. What’s your reason?

“I did it for humanity. Why?”

– What gibberish is this? Are you still drunk?

“Hey! If it were you, would you take on the 21st century Mozart to serve in the hall?”

– 21st century Mozart?

“Yeah. Jun Hyuk is a real genius. He’s a kid who’s received a gift that God gives every 100 years. You… you don’t trust my judgment? You know I have an ear for music.”

Music was another reason why Baek Seung Ho and Yoon Kwang Hun had gotten close. They were both music enthusiasts regardless of the genre whether it was classic, rock, blues, jazz, et cetera. But Mozart? He was exaggerating.

 

Whenever we call a helpline, the waiting melody is always Mozart’s ‘Eine kleine Nachtmusik’. 80% of the world’s helpline melodies were Mozart, 10% was Vivaldi, and the last 10% was pop music with royalties to pay.

Hotel lobbies, lounges, and elevators all over the world greeted their clients with Mozart. If Mozart were to receive royalties, he would make the amount to buy his country Austria every year, and his handwritten scores would be worth over $200,000 each.

Mozart shared the title of genius with Einstein. How could he compare Jun Hyuk to a person like that…..

– Well… Let’s say that’s true. Why did he go out on that audition program? If he’s Mozart, he needs to go to New York or Vienna. Why Sangam-dong?

“Honestly, I sent him to be around kids his age and it seemed like he wanted to go out too. He wanted to show his music, so I sent him to get some experience. Who knew it would turn out like this?”

 

Baek Seung Ho seemed to be organizing his thoughts. He did not speak for a while.

– Do you want to leave this to the discretion of our company? I’ll ruin these assholes for you.

“Hey, I don’t have money. How can I work with one of the top two law firms in the country? I called to get your opinion.”

– Would I take money from you? After I got your call, I had our investigators look into it a bit.

“Already?”

There was a reason why Baek Seung Ho had not called yesterday. After looking at the articles on the portal site, he had even enlisted investigators to determine the circumstances before and after the incident. He had called once he had the reassurance and made up his mind.

He had forgotten. Yoon Kwang had allocated all of his work to Baek Seung Ho because he had liked this kind of work ethic.

– Of course. You think I was playing all day? Anyway, it seems Jun Hyuk really is a treasure as you say. They’re playing with the press on the internet. It’s a scheme to discredit your guardianship over Jun Hyuk so an agency can take him.

“What the fuck. I knew they would do that.”

– You should have kept your treasure hidden. What were you thinking sending him out into the world? It’s full of thieves.

“Stop. I’m full of regrets as it is.”

– These days, the entertainment industry makes a lot of money from this Hallyu thing. And Jun Hyuk’s really good looking. If he really is a music genius as you say, he’s a golden egg.

“Then will you take care of it for me? You deal with the money issue as well.”

– Let me just ask one thing before that.”

“Go ahead.”

– Are you trying to raise him yourself? Like making a management agency?

That was greed. It was an era where talent directly became money. If that talent was in the entertainment industry, it was enough to make anyone greedy.

 

Baek Seung Ho thought that Yoon Kwang Hun might be trying to reclaim the glory of his past through Jun Hyuk.

Yoon Kwang Hun’s unexpected reply invalidated Baek Seung Ho’s guess,

“No, I was thinking of sending him to America or Europe by next year. I was just going to take responsibility up to there. His talent isn’t something anyone can raise or whatnot. If you just throw him into bigger waters, the big fish around him with automatically gather to him.”

There was a silence again. Baek Seung Ho’s voice came out low after the silence,

– You… really put your heart into it. You don’t have any selfish intentions for this. I’m seeing you in a different light.

“Hey, this kid! What are you talking about all of a sudden.”

– Okay. I’ll take care of this, you just disappear for a bit. Even if the talk gets worse, don’t pay attention to it for the time being.

Yoon Kwang Hun fully understood what Baek Seung Ho was saying.

He meant that he was going to wait until the editors had completely ruined Yoon Kwang Hun. Once they had ripped Yoon Kwang Hun apart and made him nothing more than a rag, he was going to sue them for an enormous amount. He was going to empty the pockets of the editors responsible.

“Understood. Oh right, I’m in Hyeyiri right now.”

– Okay. Oh, and once people get a hold of your identity, you’ll be getting a ton of texts and calls abusing you. Don’t turn your phone off because you’re angry. I’ll send one of our employees right now. Until our employee gets there, pick up all your calls and record everything. Don’t say a word in response and just record it. The employee is going to bring a cellphone and a warrant, so sign the warrant and use that phone if you need to call. Give your cellphone to the employee. We’ll handle it.

Threatening texts and calls were going to be converted into money. They were about to see the real face of a vicious lawyer.

– Text me the address of where you’re at now.

“Alright. And Seung Ho.”

– Yea.

“Be careful not to hurt Jun Hyuk.”

– Oy. You worry too much. Is Jun Hyuk your son? Rest for a bit.

“Okay. Thanks.”

– No problem. It’ll be over in three weeks at the most. Hyeyiri’s nice. Read a bit, go for walks, and rest. Don’t drink.

Once he hung up, his mind was at rest. All he had to do now was wait. Yoon Kwang Hun passed out on the bed again.


	47. Chapter 47

Volume 1 / Chapter 47

TL: LightNovelCafe

The 12 finalists needed to shine for a quality broadcast while living together for around 40 days. Going forward, they would have an expert’s help in looking good, their first step to stardom. They believed they had boarded an Autobahn to stardom.

Without knowing what would happen to Yoon Kwang Hun in a week, Jun Hyuk unpacked his belongings with the other 11 contestants in a dormitory not far from Sangam-dong. As soon as they were done unpacking their bags, the staff began going over their schedules.

“First, everyone gets up at 7. You can’t talk for two hours after you wake up. You’re resting your voice until 9. For those two hours, stretch and wake your body to open your mouth.”

These were the first instructions given when starting as an agency trainee. Only the three contestants who were not in agencies felt like they were entering a new world.

 

“Second, there’s a ton of food in the dorm fridge and sink cupboard. It’s not there for you to eat, but for advertising. The only thing you guys can have to your heart’s content is water. The only food you can eat is what we give you. Third, cameras are filming everywhere except inside the 2nd floor bathroom. Watch the way you act and use the 2nd floor bathroom to take care of your business and to shower. It’s good to wash your face on the 1st floor though. Do as you please since you could be wasting your air time. Washing your face will go out on broadcast if the picture looks good.”

A world where even washing your face was part of a production. This was the perfect chance for a girl who had confidence in her face without makeup.

“Fourth, be aware of the consequences if you try to escape from the dorm to do something stupid. We were a little lax until last season, but we’re going to be extremely strict this time. Listen well. The final selection for the top 12 doesn’t go out for another five weeks. That means we can change it whenever we want. If someone tries to Shawshank their way out, they’ll be cut right away and someone else will take that spot. Keep that in mind.”

 

Everyone tensed at all of the threats. The staff also let them know that they would only be progressing with fitness and vocal training for a week.

“There’s a bus waiting outside, so everyone change into workout clothing. Hurry because we’ll be leaving in 20 minutes.”

Jun Hyuk rose his hand slowly and spoke,

“I didn’t bring any clothes. They told me not to bring anything…..”

“Oh, the sponsors prepared everything for you already. They’re in the room you were assigned on the 2nd floor, so go change. Also, there are dates written on the tags so make sure you look at that. You have to change every day.”

The assignments had been decided so that there were three people to a room, but it seemed that Jun Hyuk’s room was the biggest because one wall was full of clothes.

 

Everyone looked at the sponsored clothing with jealousy. They would all get sponsored clothing for the live broadcast, but they could not help but envy Jun Hyuk who was being sponsored through the dorming period.

In fact, they were more envious that he already had a modeling contract than they were of the clothes. They wanted to ask how much he had received as a guarantee than how many items of clothing he was given, but it hurt their pride to do so.

Everyone scattered off to their own rooms at the words of Kwak Hye Sung who was sharing the room with Jun Hyuk,

“I’m American obese so I could only be sponsored by a clothing store in Itaewon,” were the first words out of his new roommates’ mouth.

***

There were three trainers waiting at the fitness center.

“The three of us are going to manage your bodies for the next month. If you follow our instructions, you’ll be able to have asurprising body even after one month.”

The production crew filmed the trainers’ friendly greeting and the 12 participants’ tense expressions. As soon as the cameras were turned out, their gentle smiles disappeared and the way they spoke changed 180 degrees.

“You! Listen well. You have to lose more than 20kg over a month. What do you think the best method of losing weight is?”

“Exercising well…”

“That’s if you have the body of average kids. Don’t eat. You need to starve.”

Kwak Hye Sung put down his heated face and could not speak.

 

“We’ll be able to see your jawline at the least if you lose around 15kg. It’s a nuisance to have your chubby face go out on broadcast. What did the viewers do wrong? Don’t you think so?”

It was like this everywhere. Authority needed to be established during the first meeting. They needed to be tied up tightly to be able to digest their schedules. This was the best way to get young kids who were used to doing what they wanted to listen.

“Four pieces of chicken breast and a plate of salad will be the amount of food you have everyday. There’s sponsored food in your dorm, right? Things like instant rice, curry, soup? If you try to eat any of that you’ll have to starve for a week so be careful.”

The three trainers checked each person’s bodies and gave prescriptions as though they were doctors.

The trainer looking at Jun Hyuk sighed,

“Whew… You wasted a blessed body. What is this? You’re so skinny… What a waste.”

“Isn’t he worth working with? He’d look great if he just does some strength training.”

“Right? We’ll feed him some gaynor powder and chicken breast, and try to build his upper body.”

“I don’t need to exercise because I don’t intend on singing with my shirt off.”

Jun Hyuk must have been intimidated by the muscular trainers surrounding him because he did not speak in his usual defiant tone. He was very careful.

“We’re not building your body so you can sing with your shirt off. Why do you think we’re training you guys for free? It’s because you guys are going on broadcast. We’re going to plaster the change in your body after one month on that wall over there. That’s the reason we’re trying to make your body look good. Understand?”

The trainer spoke loudly for everyone to hear. Once the dorm life and live broadcasts, everyone was going to understand that the world revolved on money and that they were being made into commodities.


	48. Chapter 48

Volume 1 / Chapter 48

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Pronunciation is first. The purpose of vocal training is to find the right sound, not to teach you how to sing well. All I’m doing is helping you to make the proper sound from your body as an instrument. The first step to that proper sound is pronunciation.”

Vocal trainer Ryu Sun Hee’s confident attitude and clear voice made the 12 contestants even more nervous. The best vocal trainer who had taught several famous singers.

As they were already tired from spending all morning with the rigorous schedule they had been given by the fitness trainers, it was unnecessary to yell “Don’t use strength in your body!” at them.

“Come out and sing the song you’re most confident in one by one. Sing the song you’re best at. Don’t do something hard or something you want to do.”

 

It was necessary to fix the voices they normally spoke with first.

“You try singing first.”

Kwak Hye Sung was resentful of his body. He stood out wherever he went. After starving all day and running hard, a gentle song flew out of him gently,

“Another da~y gets further.”

Ryu Sun Hee grimaced at the first line of Kim Kwang Suk’s ‘Around 30’,

“Stop. It’s not further, it’s far.ther. You need to write the lyrics on a piece of paper and read it. Don’t sing until you can read it accurately. Got it?”

“Yes.”

Everyone sang in turn, but were torn apart in the introductions and had to start practicing reading the lyrics like Kwak Hye Sung. There were two people who did not hear Ryu Sun Hee’s criticism. It was 1st place nominee Jessica who was receiving harsh training at Mango Entertainment and Lee Hae Jun who was only 18 years old but had started as a trainee when he was 13 years old.

Since Lee Hae Jun found out he had to share a room with Jun Hyuk, he had been down. He was displeased that the only other contestant in his teens was already receiving celebrity treatment.

 

Lee Hae Jun had been watching the rules of this industry for five years already. It was a place where he had to stay afloat amidst constant comparison with others. It did not leave his head that Jun Hyuk who was also in his teens was his rival. This opponent was too strong.

It seemed the production crew had given Ryu Sun Hee advanced notice about Jun Hyuk who was up next,

“I heard you don’t sing. It looked like they are planning on highlighting the fact that you’re going through a survival program without singing. You don’t need to receive lessons, right?”

“No.”

“Fine. You can watch from the side. It’ll help to watch too since these are the kids you’ll be competing against.”

Jun Hyuk had already been watching the other contestants’ vocal training with interest. Singing with accurate pronunciation was the same as making the correct sound with an instrument.

 

First, there was only correcting pronunciation. As soon as they were given lyrics, the practice room quickly became full of noise with the instructions to practice reading. They seemed like elementary school students clearly reading the text in new textbooks. It was surprising how in a room full of the noise of 11 people, Ryu Sun Hee could pinpoint any one person making even the slightest mistake in pronunciation.

However, watching this interesting scene was only for a moment and the staff quietly took Jun Hyuk out of the room after taking a sudden phone call.

“The schedule got messed up a little. You’ll have to go with me right now to record.”

“Record?”

“Yeah, do you remember the 1st mission from Star Week? Park Ki Young’s song?”

“Ah, yes.”

“We got a call that there’s no time to record it except for today. All the other kids finished recording. You need to record your guitar instrumental.”

“That’s really nothing. Anyone can just play it. Honestly, I don’t really remember how I played it.”

It was just an accompaniment without anything special. It was the type of music that even a decent guitar session man could record easily.

“Ha ha. It’s not that simple. Would we do it so easily when we’ll be releasing it for digital sales? We’re going to trim it and make it much more elaborate. I bet you’ll find it interesting once you go and try it.”

 

When he got to the recording studio, the song he played for the mission was already playing.

“It’s too weak. Try making it livelier.”

“It doesn’t mix with the accompaniment. And lower that. That’s right. Okay, stop it there.”

Everyone else must have finished recording their parts, but none of the people who completed the mission with him were present and five soundtracks were dancing on the recording studio monitor.

The producer who saw Jun Hyuk and staff put out his cigarette,

“Oh sorry. Can you wait a bit? Let’s start once I finish this.”

Jun Hyuk sat on the recording room sofa and watched the producer playing with all of the sounds through the equipment with interest. For an hour after Jun Hyuk arrived at the studio, they had not even finished the 1st draft of a 3 minute 40 second song.

“Uh… You see.”

Jun Hyuk began to speak when he could not take it anymore.

“Oh sorry. Will you wait just a little longer?”

“No, that’s not it…..”

Jun Hyuk jumped up from the sofa and put his hand on the monitor track,

“This, lower it by 1/7 at 77 seconds. At 96 seconds, I think you can just make this and this higher by about 3/10.”

The producer’s eyes widened at Jun Hyuk’s input,

“Did you learn sound engineering?”

“No. I saw you do it for two hours. This thing lets you see each voice, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s fix it like that and try listening. The part that stands out too much should have disappeared.”

Anyone who heard a WAV file at home will know what a wave is. However, how could he pick out one point and modify it by lowering and heightening it? Even he who had been producing for 10 years could adjust the awkward parts but what Jun Hyuk was talking about was impossible. Fixing it by making by small modifications was all he could do. But how could he find exact modification figures like 1/7 and 3/10?

“Try it.”

The engineer adjusted the track as soon as the producer allowed for it. The producer’s scowling face lit up when he heard the modifications again,

“Something wasn’t right, but this was it.”

The producer realized that the broadcast station music director’s assessment of Jun Hyuk was not wrong,

“They kept calling you a genius; you really are good. How did you figure it out?”

“I just did.”

He just knows by hearing it. It was something he had heard often. It was what people with talent always said.


	49. Chapter 49

Volume 1 / Chapter 49

TL: LightNovelCafe

[How do I explain that? I just know it.]

“They said you’re good at making songs but more than that, your ears are impressive. No, I guess they call you a genius because you’re good at everything?

The producer forgot about their initial plan to record Jun Hyuk’s guitar. He was calculating that Jun Hyuk as the arranger would know much better what instrument needed to be added to make the song perfect.

“What do you think? Since you heard the whole recorded song, what do you think will make it good? We were going to wrap it up with the guitar, but do you think there’s something better? I want to know your opinion.”

He was someone who had never asked another young singer or idol for their opinion during his recording sessions. His asking for an opinion meant that he was not looking at Jun Hyuk as another teenager, but had accepted him as a musician.

 

The engineer who had been adjusting the console box stuck out his tongue in surprise. That perfectionist was discussing music with this young child? The producer had never even asked him for his opinion during the three years they had worked together.

“Um, it has a very different feeling from when we performed in during the mission.”

“Of course. We made it better to match the recording standard. The other kids recorded for over 12 hours.”

“We did it with an acapella feel during the mission… I played the guitar to bring out the rhythm. Now I think it’d be better to put in a percussion than the guitar. Something light with an airy touch to it.”

“A percussion you say… Sounds good. You said lightly?”

“Yes.”

The picture of Park Ki Young’s song being reborn as a perfect acapella song was engraved in the producer’s head.

“Good, then let’s hear the piano instrumental.”

The producer looked excited with anticipation. He had heard that Jun Hyuk’s piano was a gem. He had checked that Jun Hyuk had an ear for music, and he would be able to confirm the extent of his talent once he saw his performance skills.

“Excuse me? The piano?”

“Yeah. There’s a Finkl song that you played in a jazz version, right? That. I saw the recording.”

“But Nam Seung Hee sang that song.”

“No, not that. You know the one that you played casually as a guide before Nam Seung Hee sang it for you? I’m talking about that one. Honestly, the version with Nam Seung Hee took away from the piano. The instrumental alone was much better.”

“Are we recording that too? I don’t even remember it… because I played it on the fly.”

 

The producer burst out laughing at Jun Hyuk scratching his head,

“Seemed like it. Ha ha. That’s the zest that makes it so you can’t help but fall in love with jazz. Music expressing the emotion of that moment. What do you think? Are you in the mood to play piano now?”

The producer had felt it when the broadcasting station gave him the recording of Jun Hyuk on the piano. There was fluttering of attraction to someone of the opposite sex. But there was no way that emotion would reappear in a dingy basement recording studio drenched in the smell of cigarette smoke.

“I think it’ll be a little difficult.”

Jun Hyuk was fascinated by the machines that could control sounds. He was more curious about how much the machines could alter sounds than he was interested in playing the piano.

“Right? Then let’s do this; there’s going to be an electric piano at the dorm. Keep in mind that the keyboard weight is set for an upright piano. Play it when you’re in the mood. There’s a recording function on that, so don’t forget to record it.”

 

When Jun Hyuk left, the sound engineer finally opened his mouth,

“Teacher, why are you so amiable to that kid? It’s a little weird today after seeing kids tense up in front of your charisma.”

“From now on if you see that kid again, be nice to him and be friendly. Got it?”

“What? Why?”

“There’s going to be a day when it’ll be a huge advantage to your career that you ever worked with him. He’s on a completely different level from other kids who come on these audition programs.”

As such, Jun Hyuk’s talent began to be recognized by the people creating and controlling the music behind the stage before the people on the stage.

***

On the 10th day of dormitory life, Judge Lee Sung Chul visited the dorm. This moment was like a much needed rain during a drought as the contestants had been weary of their monotonous schedules of daily fitness and vocal training.

The pizza Lee Sung Chul brought – though it was for product placement – disappeared quickly because the young children had only been eating the chicken breast and salad meals that the trainers brought.

“Now the 2nd episode aired. You’re curious?”

“Yes. How did it go?”

“How do you think it went?”

“Jun Hyuk is totally famous now, right?”

“Huh? Oh, Jun Hyuk? He’s a hot topic.”

Lee Sung Chul glanced over at Jun Hyuk who was scarfing down his pizza, but quickly looked away. It was true that Jun Hyuk had become a hot topic, but it was with a completely different type of issue that what these kids who were cut off from the outside were thinking of. On top of that, it was with obscene content created for a dirty ulterior motive.

Lee Sung Chul quickly brushed off the guilty mood. The camera was filming. They needed to film happy and animated young children.

 

“Once the remaining four elimination rounds are aired, it’s the live broadcast in five weeks. It’s the stage where you guys will have to sing live. In front of an audience.”

Live stage. The first moment to becoming a star was when the public was focusing their attention. Just thinking about it made their hearts beat faster.

“The people who go on all six live stages are the winner and runner-up. I’m really curious as to see who will stay alive.”

None of the contestants had been told by their agencies when they would be eliminated. The only thing they were told was ‘Do well no matter what.’ There was also the threat that they would not be left alone if they were eliminated early on.

“The reason why I came today is the mission song for your first live broadcast. Don’t you want to know what song you’ll be singing?”

24 sparkling eyes pointed to Lee Sung Chul’s mouth.

“The first theme is a song of your choosing. We’re going to make a stage that shows all of your skills. Except pop. You have to leave that for the next round. This may be a disadvantage for the people who don’t have a strong command of Korean, but you still have five weeks left in which you can overcome that with practice.”

A song of their choosing was the easiest mission. The fact that they could choose the genre they wanted to do. They did not have to be able to perform all genres. Everyone sighed in relief.

“While I’m here, I’ll give you guys a tip. There are many ways to sing. A song that’s good no matter who sings it. A song that’s easy to sing without high or bass notes. This doesn’t show a singer’s advantages or disadvantages. It’s safe.”

 

No one wanted to sing a song that was safe and did not reveal any advantages or disadvantages. This was not a concert. Coming up to the top 12 meant that everyone lived with a knife by their hearts. Unless there was a competitor who made a big mistake, the person who took the safe route would be the first to be eliminated.

“The second is to cover all of your shortcomings with overwhelming vocals. With this, you can’t hear minor mistakes because you’re surprising the audience.”

Since coming into the dorms, Kwak Hye Sung’s face brightened for the first time as he had explosive vocals. He had more confidence in his vocals than he did in his jawline.

“The third is that there’s a singer who clearly shows his emotions. This also means that he has a good tone. This can be done with a good that perfectly matches his tone.”

That damned word. Tone…..

There were a few people who became frustrated after going through the qualifiers. It did not seem like they were very talented singers, but their singing was easy to listen to. This was the person who was born with a good tone. Though it was unfair that the average person had to make hundreds of times the effort a gifted person does, what could one do? This was a cruel survival competition.

“Figure out what your fortes are and prepare a stage where you can present that personal weapon of yours.”

Lee Sung Chul pat everyone’s shoulders in encouragement and left the dorm. The production staff started to go over the details of what they needed to prepare next.

It was not surprising anymore. They were embarrassed that they had believed the next mission song was a free choice even for a second.

“Everyone looks like they ate something sour, but stop frowning. It’s not that bad.”

The staff could understand why the kids were upset. It took a long time to become used to this world where the inside and outside were different.

“The first mission is a free choice song, but it’s not a completely free choice. You know the reason, right?”

The issues with copyrights, royalties, et cetera were complicated. They had heard this too many times.

“Starting tomorrow, when you’re done with your health and vocal lessons, you’ll separate into teams with three people. When you go to the recording studio, you’ll work on choosing your song, arranging and practicing it, RM recording, and sound recording. Now, you’ll be working with the producer.”

When they heard the word producer, they realized that the competition was really starting.

“Since there’s a whole month left, wouldn’t it be difficult if you spent that whole time practicing one song since you have to sing a different song every week? That’s why we have everything set until the 3rd stage.”

Could they really sing three songs when they have to go up to the top 8? Everyone gulped.

“Don’t think that it’ll be a waste of time for the people who don’t make it to the third week. We’re thinking of making a special stage to broadcast. Use everything you practice. Um… for the second mission, you’ll do songs by the four judges. Of course you’ll consult with a producer for this as well.”

Now was the time to say the hardest part. It reeked of money.

“Third is the idol special. Hey! Don’t frown over there.”

The production staff saw that a few people grimaced at the mention of idol singers. There were people who had a prejudice against idols. They were held in conceit and thought that they were pursuing a higher standard of music.

“I know there are people here who don’t like idols. However, the public likes idols. This is show business. The stardom that you all want so much is the main point of show business.”

Under the animosity toward idols was jealousy. The kids who succeeded on video and not audio. They did not try to understand the sweat and tears that came before the video success.

“If you want to work on only the music that you like, you have to leave. You can walk the path of a musician instead of a star.”

These kids gathered here were no different. They were of the same classification. They came out on this survival program to become stars, not musicians.

“Lastly, we’re going to assign producers… Listen to your producers and you’ll get good results since they’re all first class. They’re also going to change every mission. Don’t complain about who got a good or bad producer and don’t blame the producers for who had a good or bad result.”

The production crew announced the four producers along with the three people who were assigned to each.


	50. Chapter 50

Volume 1 / Chapter 50

TL: LightNovelCafe

Jun Hyuk was put in the same group as Nam Seung Hee and Kwak Hye Sung, and went to the recording studio.

“Oy, welcome. I’m Jo Hyung Joong.”

Jo Hyung Joong was in his mid 40s and at one point had established his name as a hit song maker with over 200 songs registered in the Copyright Association. He was a composer and famous producer.

He had a gentle impression and as he made coffee, he took the time to get to know the three rookies better,

“Seung Hee, you like hip hop?”

“Yes, teacher.”

“You didn’t do hip hop in the qualifiers, right? You sang a ballad.”

“Yes. There wasn’t a hip hop song in the mission songs.”

 

“If you’re a hip hop mania, there’s a hip hop audition program but why…..”

“That’s… My agency…..”

“Ah, you have an agency?”

“Yes, I’m in JYS Entertainment. I’m just a trainee. It’s my third year.”

A slender girl whose voice was fit for singing ballads but she liked hip hop. There was no doubt JYS liked her for her slender body and fresh face, not her ballad or hip hop.

“Well that still means you’ve gotten recognition since you’re in one of the big 3 agencies.”

 

Kwak Hye Sung looked dejected at the talk of agencies.

“I heard Hye Sung doesn’t have an agency yet.”

“Yes that’s correct.”

“Have you thought about why an agency hasn’t gotten in contact?”

“Because I’m fat?”

Kwak Hye Sung rubbed his bulging stomach. He had lost 2 inches over the last 10 days that had been no different from fasting. His expression remained dark though.

“Hey, your self-criticism is harsh. The reason is simple. They haven’t been drawn to you yet.”

“Are you saying I don’t have charm?”

“That’s right. I saw the tapes for all of the elimination rounds. Anyone would agree that you have great vocals.”

Jo Hyung Joong gave him a thumbs up,

“Your range is amazing… but that’s it. Your high notes and control of your voice can be advantages since there is a lot of music that you can execute. But music isn’t about who can go higher or who can be louder. There’s an emotion in the song. You need to express that. You’re lacking a bit in that area.”

His faults that a famous producer had specifically picked out. Kwak Hye Sung could not lift his head.

 

“Hey… cheer up. You still have a lot of time left. And you have two really strong weapons. Let’s use those weapons to make a stage full of emotion. I’ll help you.”

Jo Hyung Joong smiled warmly at Kwak Hye Sung whose face had brightened and looked at Jun Hyuk,

“So you’re Jun Hyuk. Hey, you’re as good looking as they said. With that face, you would do better as a model or actor than as a singer.”

Jo Hyung Joong thought that if the votes were done fairly, Jun Hyuk would get tons of votes just by standing on the stage.

“But I heard that you don’t sing. Why?”

“There are a lot of good singers. I just need people who will sing the songs I make well.”

“Ha ha. That’s the mind of a typical composer. Okay then, who do you wish would sing your song?”

“Um… Adele, Marvin Gaye, Floor Jansen of Nightwish, John Mayer, Eva Cassidy, Thomas Cloverope, and…”

“Hey, that’s too ambitious. Ha ha. There aren’t any Korean singers?”

“Of course there are. Lee So Ra, Kim Chang Hwan, Lee Sun Hee, Jeon In Kwon when he debuted, Kim Gun Mo 10 years ago…”

“What? Kim Gun Mo 10 years ago? So not the Kim Gun Mo now?”

“No. I think he’s aged a bit.”

“You think so? He’s still great though. If he meets a song that fits him, he’d be able to get the value out of it. Well… I think it’d be a good idea for you to make a song. You have no thoughts of singing on the live stage as well?”

“No, I’m going to try to stick it out with an instrumental.”

 

“Good. That’s cool. I’ll help you as much as I can, so try sticking it out. I have expectations to see how much you can advance.”

These were not words he was throwing out as a broadcast moment for the cameras next to him. He had heard that Jun Hyuk was only now 17 years old. It was a rarity to find a young child with such a firm sense of music. Aspiring celebrities were all hanging onto the idea of success. Jun Hyuk gave him pride.

This was enough for first meetings and they started preparing for the mission in earnest.

“Seung Hee, I chose a song fit for you but it’s a drama OST. It’s a slow song but I changed it so it’d be a little fast and light. Listen to it.”

When Jo Hyung Joong finished speaking, the person in charge of the recording studio sound system turned on the music. The theme song from a popular drama that had aired not too long ago came from the studio speakers in a different version.

It was not a dance song, but it was youthful and light enough to incite automatic humming. The arrangement could have been perfect for a pretty and cute girl group to sing.

It seemed that with the strength of the original song’s popularity and the audience’s desire for lively music, everything matched up well and would bring good results.

Jo Hyung Joong saw that Nam Seung Hee looked pleased with the arrangement and turned on Kwak Hye Sung’s mission song in succession.

The original version of Kim Kyung Ho’s ‘The People Who Make Me Sad’ played from the speakers. Unlike Nam Seung Hee’s song, it had not been edited in any way. Kwak Hye Sung just blinked as he could not figure out Jo Hyung Joong’s intentions.

“Hye Sung can easily sing this song, right?”

“Yes.”

“Seeing your expression, looks like you’re wondering why this song wasn’t arranged.”

“Oh, yes… because the original song came out all of a sudden.”

“The tone of your voice is the arrangement itself.”

“Excuse me? My tone?”

He did not understand yet. Jo Hyung Joong just laughed as if this appearance was amusing.

“The arrangement is unnecessary because they both have extreme vocal tones. On top of that, it’s possible to dominate the stage with his overwhelming vocals which is his advantage.”

In contrast to Kim Kyung Ho’s sharp vocals was Kwak Hye Sung’s thick and heavy voice. Jun Hyuk who had been still expressed Jo Hyung Joong’s intentions.

“That’s it. Jun Hyuk and I are cut of the same cloth. Ha ha.”

It had not been long since they met, but he could see the flash of talent. No explanation was necessary. He could figure out a producer’s motives just by listening to the music. Producers could work comfortably if singers had as much sense as Jun Hyuk did.

“It’ll be easy for Hye Sung to practice. There, will the two of you go and start practicing? I think my talk with Jun Hyuk is going to take some time.”


	51. Chapter 51

Volume 1 / Chapter 51

TL: LightNovelCafe

Jo Hyung Joong needed to choose a song for Jun Hyuk to perform without singing. Jun Hyuk was not a simple aspiring singer, but a performer. He had accepted Jun Hyuk as a musician whose tastes needed to be respected and that he could not just be thrown a repertoire.

When Nam Seung Hee and Kwak Hye Sung went into a small room in the recording studio, Jun Hyuk showed interest in the studio equipment he had been squinting at,

“Teacher, can you make sounds even without an instrument just by using this machine?”

“Yeah, you can make almost every sound. If you prepare MIDI operations with the master keyboard, you can make the sounds with programs. You can’t bring out a great performer’s emotion or technique though. If you can’t do as well as the machine you’re a lower class performer, middle class if you’re similar, and A class if you’re much better.”

“I see.”

Jun Hyuk seemed to be disappointed that perfect music was impossible with a machine.

“Why? Are you interested? I guess you want to try producing now?”

 

“Ah, that’s not it. A few days ago, I was at a different studio to record a mission song from the qualifiers… and I saw them fixing the music and making new sounds.”

“That’s right. Studio equipment can do just about that much.”

“I was just wondering. I was thinking I could make the symphony I wrote, but I guess that’s impossible.”

“What? Symphony?”

“Yes. I’ve made a few, but I always wanted to be able to hear one of them. There’s no orchestra willing to perform a symphony that I made.”

Jo Hyung Joong remembered a call he had with judge of Tomorrow’s Star, Yoon Jung Su.

[A kid named Jun Hyuk is in your group, right?”]

[Yeah, why? You know him?]

[Watch him with care. He might be an amazing genius.]

This was not the 18th century. It was not an era when teenagers tried to compose symphonies and write sonatas.

 

It was an era when a few teenagers these days trained diligently to play the music that was created in the 18th century.

But here was a teenager who made a symphony without ever receiving proper education or training in classical music.

“Did you bring your score? For the symphony?”

It did not matter if Jun Hyuk’s symphony was not a masterpiece. Jo Hyung Joong did not care if Jun Hyuk had just written something basic. The fact that he had written music for dozens of instruments that would have to play for 30-40 minutes was talent itself.

“The scores are at home. Why? Do you want to see them?”

“Of course. A symphony at your age? I can’t believe it. What’s the title?”

 

“I didn’t give it a cool title like with old classics. It’s just Symphony No.1 in A Major.”

This side of him was just a teenager. It showed that he wanted to show off his music.

“Ha ha. I guess if someone were to go through your works later, there would be several Op.”

“Is that what would happen? Ha ha.”

“Then I guess you have to make your second piece?”

“No. The new one has to be No. 5 since I already made four. Three aren’t that good though. Even I can tell that I was trying too hard with those.”

Jo Hyung Joong had to wrestle with his work for at least a month to make a pop song that went just over three minutes. The work itself for a symphony was different. Moreover, for four symphonies. Even if they were rubbish, it was important that he had written four.

On top of that, one of them was good enough that he wanted to hear it performed. How did he have to understand this?

This was not the end. Jun Hyuk’s continued boasting brought him from being surprised to shocked,

“I only really like one of the symphonies, but I like most of the ariettas I made for the piano and violin.”

“What? Are you saying that you’ve written other songs?”

“Yes. For piano songs… um… I think I have 20? I have around the same for the violin too…..”

 

While Jun Hyuk was trying to count the number of pieces he had on his fingers, Jo Hyung Joong’s jaw dropped.

He had heard that it had only been two years since Jun Hyuk started music. The reality was that there had to be less than 10 people in Korea who composed 20 songs even after majoring in classical music.

“How many songs have you made until now? Is that it?”

“No. I’m just telling you about the classical… 70 or 80 for pop music? Of course the ones I actually like don’t make up half of them.”

“I’m sure you have scores for all of those as well?”

Pop music composer Jo Hyung Joong wanted to see those scores immediately.

“Yes, they’re all at home. I wanted to toss the ones I didn’t like, but my boss told me I can’t do that.”

“Your boss? Oh, at the cafe you work at?”

“Yes. Though I hardly do any work.”

“Aren’t you working while you eat and sleep there?”

“I do eat and sleep there but I don’t work. All I do is clean and open the doors in the morning, and close the doors and clean at night. I spent the rest of my time in the practice room my boss made for me in the basement writing songs and playing music.”

“You even had a practice room? What instruments did you have?”

 

Jun Hyuk became excited as soon as Jo Hyung Joong asked about the instruments. He had only the best, so that was of course something to brag about,

“For drums, he set TAMA and SABIAN. Fodera for bass, and for the electric guitar, I have a PRS (Paul Reed Smith), Custom, and two James Tayler BuringWaters. Yamaha for the piano.”

Jun Hyuk was listing instruments that would be in a professional band.

“What? You’re saying you have all of those?”

“Yes. And the AV receiver in Yamaha while the amp is MESA/BOOGIE). Oh right, the speaker was normally for the cafe but my boss gave it to me. He said it was something really expensive.”

“Wow! That’s amazing.”

“Yes. My boss prepared everything for me saying that my instruments and equipment needed to be expensive and good.”

This kind of investment for one teenager to have was excessive. Jo Hyung Joong began to wonder what kind of person the cafe owner was. How could a man who was being torn apart on the internet as some villainous slave driver be willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on one teenager no matter how talented he seemed to be? It did not make sense.

‘Typical. You can’t believe what you read on the internet.’

Jo Hyung Joong began to feel bad for the cafe owner whose face he did not even know.

As Jun Hyuk carefully raised a question to Jo Hyung Joong who had been lost in thought, he forgot all about the cafe owner,

“Teacher, will you take a look at my score?”

“Your Symphony No. 1?”

“Yes. I’ll get it from my dorm tonight.”

“Hm… yeah. Let’s see it. I’m actually not an expert in classical, but don’t you think it’s a good song if I say it is? If it’s so good that even someone who isn’t an expert says it’s good? And if I can, I’ll show that score to someone I know in the classical field.”

Jun Hyuk’s eyes widened when he said that he would show the score to someone in the classical field. It could be the first chance to have his music assessed by an expert.

Jun Hyuk knew Yoon Kwang Hun had limitations. Yoon Kwang Hun’s understanding of music was incomparable to the average person, but it stopped at that of a music lover and mania.

Yoon Kwang Hun himself knew his own limitations and evaluated Jun Hyuk’s music less and less. If he could get the opinion of an expert, he could verify if he really had the talent that Yoon Kwang Hun kept assuring him of.


	52. Chapter 52

Volume 1 / Chapter 52

TL: LightNovelCafe

Jo Hyung Joong who had been watching an excited Jun Hyuk saw the sign the VJ was giving him and brought out the mission song,

“I chose something because I heard you play the piano well. What do you think about this song? I think it could be great if you arrange this into a piano song. You can put in some orchestration too.”

The song Jo Hyung Joong had selected was the OST ‘From the Sun to the Boy’ from Shin Hae Chul’s animation ‘Soul Cavalry Lazenca’.

“Have you heard this song?”

“No. I’ve heard Shin Hae Chul’s other albums but this is a first.”

“Really? Then listen to the original first.”

When the elaborate introduction came out of the CD player, Jun Hyuk moved naturally with the rhythm. It was a good choice. It was a song full of the trademark heaviness and pomp of Shin Hae Chul’s experimental band N.EX.T. It was like rock opera.

When the song ended, Jun Hyuk opened his mouth slowly,

“Teacher, I would like to do a different song.”

“Huh? A different song? Why? You don’t like this one? It would sound really good as a piano instrumental. The audience could enjoy it even if it’s an instrumental with the original’s orchestration in the background.”

Jo Hyung Joong looked at Jun Hyuk with disbelief and brought up the rule that they had to abide again,

 

“Haven’t you heard? There are issues with copyrights. If we change the song now, the staff has to go get the rights to that. There’s also a problem of royalties. It’s hard.”

“Then you’re saying it’s okay as long as there are no copyright issues?”

“Right. Oh, are you thinking of doing an original song? Ha ha.”

“Well…”

“Want to hear me out first? During a live performance, if an audience full of young people hear an instrumental they don’t know, they’re just going to sit there. You won’t get any response. There’s no producer who will air that on TV.”

It was hard for anyone to respond to music heard for the first time. Even if the audience reaction were to be edited, it could not be done in a natural way to hide the awkwardness. The live stage had to be fun.

 

“It’s not an original song… It’s a song from about 300 years ago, but would the copyright still be an issue? It’s a song that young kids all know, too. It’s famous and has been played in many different versions.”

“What? Are you thinking of a classic?”

“Yes. I was thinking of doing Pachelbel’s Canon. Since there isn’t a copyright, the producer and staff don’t need to worry.”

Jo Hyung Joong fixed his glasses as if trying to hide his frustration. As Jun Hyuk said, anyone would know the song just by listening to the introduction. It was overplayed though.

“Jun Hyuk, that song is already famous for people like George Wilson and Lee Galloway. And if you want to perform classical, you can go on a concurs. You’re going out on a competition for popular music.”

 

“Not the piano. I’ve tried making two versions. The original is three violins but… the first version is three guitars instead of violins. The second is a rock version like the ones you see on YouTube. I wanted to do it like that.”

“Change the violins to guitars…..?”

Three guitars. There was nothing to expect if he was just switching the violins to guitars. The rock version of Guitar Kids on YouTube was good, but there was too much of that as well. If you search Canon on YouTube, there were more videos of the song done in electric guitar than there were of the classical version.

Jo Hyung Joong did not like how Jun Hyuk was thinking and he did not bother to hide it,

“Jun Hyuk, the song is good. I’m not saying it’s bad. As much as it’s a famous oldie, there’s nothing new. I don’t know how you’ll make the new version, but you won’t be able to show your own creativity.”

The VJ who had been silently filming the two spoke carefully,

“Teacher, what if we try hearing Jun Hyuk play it?”

The VJ wanted to film Jun Hyuk play his two versions of Canon and Shin Hae Chul’s ‘From the Sun to the Boy’ to make more material for the broadcast.

Jo Hyung Joong had forgotten that the camera was filming everything and that this was all content to go on air. It seemed like a good idea to try listening to everything since they still had a lot of time.

“Um… Should we? It wouldn’t be bad to listen to everything and choose then, right?”

Jun Hyuk nodded.

“I’ll objectively assess which of the three will have the most impact on the audience for the first stage.”

Jun Hyuk went into the recording booth and sat in front of the electronic piano instead of the guitar. The VJ focused the camera on him and looked confused,

“Jun Hyuk, I thought you said it was a guitar version?”

“I’ll play From the Sun to the Boy first. I only need to play the piano once, so let’s finish this first.”

Jo Hyung Joong was at a loss for words. He had said that it was his first time listening to the song. He was changing a song he had heard for the first time into a piano instrumental. If he was able to do this, he was in fact the genius that Yoon Jung Su had said he was.

While Jun Hyuk played the piano, the VJ and sound engineer were puzzled and Jo Hyung Joong who had been frozen began to smile widely when the song was ending. Yoon Jung Su had an eye for people. His eye for seeing talent was unmistakable.

Jo Hyung Joong’s smile did not disappear until Jun Hyuk finished his song and came out of the recording booth,

“Jun Hyuk, the music stops too much.”

The sound engineer had been wondering the same thing. The running time of the song was over five minutes, but there were too many parts where Jun Hyuk stopped and the piano did not even play for four full minutes.

“I thought you said you wanted to put the orchestration in this song. Since it’s not a piano solo… I matched it to the orchestra.”

Yoon Jung Su was wrong. It was not that ‘He could be a genius’; he was a genius.


	53. Chapter 53

Volume 1 / Chapter 53

TL: LightNovelCafe

Jo Hyung Joong could not spend all of his time on Jun Hyuk. He needed to listen to the two people practicing with zeal in the next room.

“Jun Hyuk, let’s work together again tomorrow. Can you make a score for the orchestra that goes along with the piano song you just played and bring it?”

“Yes, I’ll write that too.”

“Okay. Then watch other people practice here. You can watch the MIDI operations you’re interested in.”

They were not recording formal tracks. They needed to get used to their voices in the mic and practice their mission songs thoroughly.

The future stars dragged home their bodies exhausted from practicing until it was night. They had just completed their schedules that were packed from 7am to 10pm. They could not even go to sleep right away. They needed to show the vocal trainer and producer something better the next day. They needed to find what they were lacking.

 

Jun Hyuk sat at the desk and started writing out scores. Kwak Hye Sung watched enthralled as the notes filled the pages.

“Jun Hyuk, is this classical?”

“No. It’s an arrangement of the orchestra that’ll go in my mission song.”

“Looks complicated.”

“This is pretty simple… I’m going to use around 16 instruments, so it’s not that complicated.”

“I’m jealous. Really.”

Jun Hyuk put his pen down and looked at Kwak Hye Sung,

“What do you envy?”

“Your talent. Not everyone can create a song that a 16-person orchestra will play.”

“Not everyone can sing like you sir do.”

“You’re calling me sir again. Oy, forget it.”

Jun Hyuk did not use the nominals ‘brother, sister’ that everyone in the dorms used comfortably. Older men were ‘sir,’ ‘there’ or ‘excuse me’.

Jun Hyuk made everyone uncomfortable because it was difficult to become friendly with him, but they gradually became used to interacting with him at a distance.

 

“Anyway, what good is it if my range is wide. Teacher Jo said it too, I can’t bring out the emotion in the lyrics.”

The emotion in lyrics… Kwak Hye Sung saw Jun Hyuk smirk and spoke,

“Why are you laughing? Is it weird?”

“I guess you understand all of the lyrics of a pop song? Even when it’s in English?”

“That’s not it.”

“But you still like the song. There are times when we become so emotional we cry even if we can’t understand the lyrics. The lyrics are a problem for later.”

Kwak Hye Sung went next to Jun Hyuk in order to hear him well while Lee Hae Jun laid on his bed pretending not to listen.

“Have you seen Shawshank Redemption?”

“The movie? The one with Tim Robbins?”

“Yes. The one where he comes out with an old black man.”

“I saw that. It was really good.”

“In that movie, the main character turns on opera in the prison broadcast studio. The soprano duet so everyone in the prison can hear.”

“Oh… That scene?”

Kwak Hye Sung remembered the scene where all of the prisoners stared at the speakers.

“Do you know what that song is?”

“Mozart?”

“Yes. It’s ‘Letter Duet’ from Mozart’s opera ‘Marriage of Figaro’. What did you think of it?”

“Wow- it was just like the movie itself. The melody… angels, freedom… that kind of feeling?”

 

“Right. There’s a narration by the old black man as that music comes out, ‘That song must be about freedom. It was like birds had left their cage and flew over the prison walls, freedom…’.”

Kwak Hye Sung was taking in Jun Hyuk’s every word. Even Lee Hae Jun had gotten up at some point and was sitting at the edge of his bed to listen.

“But do you know what those lyrics really mean? That duet is like this; it’s a scene of a countess speaking as a maid writes out the letter. That’s why the title is Letter’s Duet.”

“Letter?”

“Yes. There’s really nothing to the subject matter. ‘Under the pine tree in the bush’ ‘Pine tree?’ ‘Yes pine tree’ ‘Oh, pine tree’ ‘You understand?’ Stuff like that.”

“What? The lyrics are like that?”

“Yes. There’s no meaning. That’s all. Something about winds from the mountains surrounding the pine tree…”

“You don’t say.”

The thought that that beautiful song is just about a letter to meet under a pine tree. Kwak Hye Sung felt like a fantasy had come shattering down.

“It’s far from the emotions of freedom, angels, and wings.”

 

Kwak Hye Sung looked bewildered but could understand what Jun Hyuk was trying to say.

“So what I’m saying is to understand the sound before the lyrics. A singer is a sound. If the melody is great and that sound for that melody is good, people are bound to be impressed.”

“Use your voice? Hm…..”

“Why sing if you’re going to rely on the effect of the lyrics? You would just recite a poem. Don’t you think so?”

Kwak Hye Sung was beginning to understand what Jun Hyuk was saying. He even thought he might have wasted his time being satisfied with his ability to hit high notes and having a wide range in the past.

Jun Hyuk looked at Kwak Hye Sung frowning and spoke,

“Sir, do you want me to tell you how you can get to the first stage?”

“Really? What is it?”

“Get them with a high-pitch. Like a soprano.”

“Soprano?”

“Yes. Go between high notes and falsettos… You have to show the bass too, right? But instead of hitting the melody with the heavy tone, get that melody with a moderate tone and a wide range.”

To Kwak Hye Sung, it did not seem like this advice would be helpful,

“Whew… Do you think that’s possible?”

“Everyone is going to think that your sound is like a big iron rod. But it would be as if you are jabbing at people with the tip of a sharp fencing epee. They’ll be impressed and they’ll be seeing a different side of you. I’m pretty sure the judges will be surprised too. Then the game’s over.”

“But I can’t do what you said. I’m not good with the high-pitch notes and falsetto.”

 

“There’s still a lot of time left. And you have a really good vocal trainer, Ryu Sun Hee. Anyway, that’s all for my opinion.”

Jun Hyuk turned his chair and picked up the pen on the desk again.

“Uh… Jun Hyuk. Who do you think is the best?”

Lee Hae Jun who had only been listening to Jun Hyuk and Kwak Hye Sung’s conversation had approached them and spoke carefully.

They had not spoken since they got here and Lee Hae Jun had addressed him for the first time. But he was using informal speech.

He did not know how old Lee Hae Jun was but they looked to be the same age, so he thinking of throwing a punch at first calmed down when he thought of his boss’ warning.

Lee Hae Jun thought that Jun Hyuk was not responding because he was thinking of his response.

“Let’s see. If we’re looking at singing skills alone, Jessie?”

“Oh, Jessica?”

“Yeah. But that girl with the braces… Who is she?”

“Jang Na Rae?”

“Yeah. She improves so quickly I think she’ll be the winner in the end.”

“Jang Na Rae improves quickly?”

Kwak Hye Sung stepped in because he was surprised by Jun Hyuk’s words.

“She improves a lot every day during the vocal lessons. And her tone becomes more and more polished with vocal tuning.”

The unexpected Jang Na Rae would grow ominously. That meant there was another strong competitor. It was not something that Lee Hae Jun had wanted to hear,

“She can’t get that good in a month.”

“Why is it one month? It’s one month until the main starts, but an additional six weeks until the last round. She’ll grow even more during that period since she’ll be experiencing the real stage. And she’s learning from a producer right now. If they go against each other today, Jessica will win, but in two months, Jessica can’t keep up with braces.”

Lee Hae Jun had not thought of the real live stage. Could Jang Na Rae beat Jessica in a matter of two months? They could not know whether Jun Hyuk’s prediction would be right or wrong. What does this kid who even the judges call a genius think of him? Lee Hae Jun was becoming curious.

He spoke again carefully,

“What you do think of me?”


	54. Chapter 54

Volume 1 / Chapter 54

TL: LightNovelCafe

“You? I don’t know.”

“…..”

He clenched his fists at Jun Hyuk who had thrown the words as if annoyed before turning his back on him. It made him mad enough that a kid a year younger was being so rude, but he could not take the insult that Jun Hyuk was acting as though he was not worth thinking of.

Lee Hae Jun was better at enduring than he was at singing. He had endured five years of the strident trainee life. He relaxed his fists and spoke in a low voice,

“Are you saying my singing is so bad it’s not worth talking about?”

Jun Hyuk turned his chair around again,

“That’s not it. I mean I haven’t heard you sing before.”

Lee Hae Jun’s heart melted. Of course Jun Hyuk had never heard him sing.

 

“I’m actually preparing to debut in an idol group. I’m the main vocal there.”

“Really? Well what does it matter if you can’t sing when you’re going to be an idol? Isn’t stuff like dancing more important?”

He was experiencing this prejudice again. He was sick and tired of this prejudice. People did not realize that this trend was changing.

“It’s not. The main vocal of an idol group, especially for a boy group, is really important. That way we can be included in things like OSTs, musicals, and solo albums.”

“I’m sure it is. You’ve been a trainee for a long time, right?”

Kwak Hye Sung understood why the vocal trainer’s criticism of Lee Hae Jun had been rare.

“Yes. Five years.”

“And you received all your vocal training?”

“Yes.”

“No wonder. That’s why teacher Ryu Sun Hee doesn’t criticize you.”

“Sing for us.”

Jun Hyuk nodded to the guitar leaning on the wall.

“Right now?”

“Yeah.”

Lee Hae Jun hesitated before taking the guitar and started to sing,

“… You’ll meet again when you miss her…..”

As Lee Hae Jun sang Buhwal’s Neverending Story, a few people from downstairs gathered at the door.

“Ooh~ Ooh~”

“Good night.”

When his song finished, the people at the door clapped and cheered for him. He hit the high notes well and he had expressed the emotions of the song almost perfectly.

“What do you think?”

Lee Hae Jun felt a little lifted by the applause and put the guitar down to look at Jun Hyuk.

“It won’t do. Just beat everyone with exact dancing. Make singing a backup.”

 

No one could breathe at Jun Hyuk’s harsh criticism. How could he insult someone to their face without hesitation?

“What’s the reason? Am I that bad at singing?”

Lee Hae Jun was barely able to speak.

“Why do you sing?”

“What? What kind of question is that? Obviously it’s because I like to sing.”

“Hah. Really?”

Lee Hae Jun could not speak because Jun Hyuk laughed lightly.

He liked to sing. That was in the past. It was not like that anymore. Now, singing was tiresome, painful, and boring.

Singing?

It had been long since he had taken the road to money and fame by becoming a star. At this state, he could even become an actor if he was told that it was a faster way to become a star. Singing was not his goal but a road.

“What object do you think your singing is? It’s an object made by a technician. It’s not even an object made because they liked it but because it sells well. Tell me honestly, you’re sick of singing, right?”

“…..”

Lee Hae Jun could not respond to Jun Hyuk’s fastball and stayed silent.

“If the person singing is thinking that, how do you think the people listening feel? Music is honest. It can’t lie.”

 

Lee Hae Jun could not listen to Jun Hyuk anymore and left his seat. He needed to get some fresh air, or he would throw the punch.

He went outside the entrance and stood on the small grassy lawn, thinking about what Jun Hyuk said. The judges had complimented him saying that he had a well-made vocal. He found it weird that he was so affected by Jun Hyuk’s words. He was a teenager just like him even if he was called a genius. His words would not leave his head though.

Singing was not fun.

He could not get over the radical question Jun Hyuk had asked. He was still young, but it was the first time he had been asked that.

“Hey there. Is this the dormitory for Tomorrow’s Star?”

Lee Hae Jun jumped in surprise at the voice he heard out of nowhere. He forgot about Jun Hyuk.

“Yes, but who are you? Reporters can’t come in here.”

“Ah, I’m a lawyer, not a reporter. Is Jang Jun Hyuk inside?”

Lee Hae Jun took the man’s business card. Lawyer Baek Seung Ho. Lawyer? Why would a lawyer be looking for Jun Hyuk?

“Ha ha. Don’t misunderstand. I have to speak with Jun Hyuk regarding a sponsorship contract. I can meet him, right?”

“You can’t come into the house.”

“Hey, you’re being difficult. It’s not a prison or anything. Alright. I’ll stay outside, please call him out for me. It’ll be quick.”

“Okay.”

Baek Seung Ho took out a cigarette when Lee Hae Jun disappeared into the house. How great of a broadcast did they think they were making that they locked the kids up in a place like this? He was looking at the blurry shadows of people in the windows when the front door opened and a tall, young boy came out.

“You look better in person.”

“Sir, who are you?”

“Me? I’m someone really close to Yoon Kwang Hun. First, take the phone.”

Baek Seung Ho took out his phone,

“Hey, it’s me… Okay. I just met him… You talk to him first. I’ll put him on the line.”

A confused Jun Hyuk took the phone from Baek Seung Ho.

“Hello?”

– Is this Jun Hyuk? It’s me. How are you? It’s not hard? And fun?

“Oh, boss. Yes. I’m doing well. How are you?”

– I’m good too.

“But why does your voice sound like that? Are you sick?”

– No kid. I’m just happy to hear your voice. Jun Hyuk.

“Yes.”

– You know that man you’re with right now? He’s a lawyer at a really big and famous firm.

“Lawyer?”

Jun Hyuk eyed the man smoking a cigarette next to him and kept talking on the phone.

– Yeah, so you can do whatever that man tells you to do. I trust him and he’s like a little brother, so listen to him well. You understand?

“Yes. But why? Is something wrong?”

– I said everything is fine. Anyway, have fun. And show everyone how good you are, okay?

“Yes.”

– Okay, put that lawyer back on the phone.

Jun Hyuk passed the phone back.

“Hello.”

– Tell him well. He has a temper but he’s a fast thinker. He’s not reckless like the rumors. He’s smarter than you think, so he’ll understand.

“Alright. Just leave it to me. I’m a lawyer who lives off of words. I’m hanging up.”

 

Baek Seung Ho hung up the phone and smiled at Jun Hyuk,

“Jun Hyuk, you’re curious as to why I’m here, right?”

“Yes.”

Baek Seung Ho searched for the articles on Jun Hyuk and Yoon Kwang Hun’s relationship on his smartphone and showed them to Jun Hyuk,

“Read them slowly. This is what’s happening outside.”

Jun Hyuk’s hand shook as he held the phone. He kept trying to touch the article, but random ads popped up as he kept missing it with his shaking fingers,

“Oh shit.”

His hand shook and the swearing was uncontrollable. After the first article, there was another.

[Jang Jun Hyuk’s Guardian Villain Boss, Closed Cafe and Ran Away? Location Unknown.]

After reading the articles for a while, Jun Hyuk’s face turned red,

“These… these assholes…..”

Baek Seung Ho took the phone out of Jun Hyuk’s hand and spoke,

“You’re angry, right?”

“… Yes.”

“What would you like for me to do?”

“Excuse me?”

He felt like he was burning up, but this lawyer was laughing with a cigarette in his hand.


	55. Chapter 55

Volume 2 / Chapter 55

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Do you want me to get an official apology from the people who wrote these articles?”

“Of course. Where is my boss right now?”

“You just spoke with him. He’s resting in a place with fresh air. Stop worrying about him and answer me. You want to get a sincere apology and end it?”

“Are you crazy? End it with something like that? We have to ruin them.”

“How? Should we go beat them up? Set a fire and run?”

“…..”

Jun Hyuk only knew how teenagers fought and did not know how to finish someone without a physical altercation.

He felt how pathetic he was because all he could do was clench his fists and swear.

 

“Kwang Hun told me that you’re weak against the strong and strong against the weak.”

“What are you talking about?”

Jun Hyuk was questioning whether this lawyer who had been smirking at him since they first met was really someone that his boss trusted. In this situation, he should be expressing anger with him or at least being serious. This man was acting as though he were having fun.

“No? I heard you said that you have to be quick-witted and a coward to survive?”

It was only when Baek Seung Ho threw his cigarette on the floor and put it out with his shoe that he stopped smiling,

“Most people are like that. What are you to do? If I act strong in front of someone with power, I’m the only one who gets hurt, no?”

“So are you a coward too?”

“No, I’m not like that. Do you know why?”

“Just say it. Why do you keep asking me questions?”

“Ha ha. You have a quick temper. Actually, I’m really strong. There’s almost no one stronger than me in Korea.”

“Because you’re a really famous lawyer?”

“Yeah. My company is really famous and huge. If I want to, I can ruin them all.”

“Then you can ruin all of the assholes who wrote these articles?”

 

“Of course. I’m going to make them crawl. But there’s a problem.”

“What’s that?”

“My company and I don’t exist just to punish bad people. We get paid to do that.”

“I have money. I got $20,000 as an advertising model. I’ll give you all of it, please ruin them for me.”

“$20,000? You can’t get someone like me to work for just $20,000. You have to give me ten times more than that. And even that’s cheap, but it’s because I’m close with Kwang Hun.”

Ten times $20,000. It was an amount difficult to even imagine. Jun Hyuk had needed to count the zeros in his modeling fee.

 

“Shit, so what are you telling me to do? I don’t have the money.”

The swearing he had been holding back because this man was his boss’ close friend came out involuntarily. However, the lawyer did not seem to mind. He was smiling again,

“I’ll do it on credit. What do you think?”

“Credit?”

“Yeah. Once this program ends, I’m pretty sure you’ll make money. Pay me back with that money.”

“Alright. Then you tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

“How are you going to finish them?”

Baek Seung Ho thought that he had done enough to prevent Jun Hyuk from quitting the program. Having endurance in order to reach a goal is what it meant to be an adult.

“The best way to finish off an adult is…”

“Money!”

Jun Hyuk spoke before Baek Seung Ho finished his sentence.

“That’s right. You’re smart. The best way to ruin an adult is to take his money. Not by stealing it, but in a legal way. That’s exactly what a lawyer like me does. Our job is to lawfully take money, which is what adults consider most important.”

 

Taking their money. Jun Hyuk remembered when he had mugged kids on the street. There were more people who fought back for their money than they did to avoid getting hit. They fought back harder the more money they had in their pockets. Adults were not different.

“You have to act as if you don’t know anything about what’s going on. You’ll understand because you’ve gotten into fights before. When the opponent is throwing punches like crazy, you have to step back for a second and wait until he’s tired out before you give that last swing. That’s what I’m going to do. These guys aren’t tired enough yet. In exactly 10 days from now, they’re going to be still because they’re tired. That’s when I’m going to finish them. You understand?”

“Yes.”

“Good. I’ll make all the people who made Kwang Hun a bad person angrier than you are right now, so just wait. And I’m sure you’ll have to make a lot of money to pay me back?”

“Yes.

“So do well on this program. Then you’ll be able to make enough to pay back the credit easily. What I mean is that you can’t cause accidents. Understand?”

Jun Hyuk understood well enough but did not think that it would be as easy to do.

***

The next morning, Jun Hyuk did not get up from his bed until the staff came into his room.

“Hey, Jang Jun Hyuk! What are you doing? All the other kids are waiting on the bus.”

“I’m going to rest today. I’m not in the mood to go out.”

“What? We were too lax with this kid… Are you here to play? You think you get to rest because you feel like it?”

Jun Hyuk sat up abruptly,

“Shi… Then? What are you going to do? Are you going to kick me out? Fuck… I’ll leave if you want me to. Happy?”

Jun Hyuk laid back in his bed again.

Unlike the rumors about him, Jun Hyuk had obediently followed the schedule. They had worried that he might resist, but they never thought that he would act so rudely.

The staff had been able to put up with teenagers like this cursing for the past 10 years because their seniors had built up with their tolerance with harsher words.

Also, they were positive that something that happened because he changed overnight as if he were a different person. Their first thought was that they needed to check the cameras installed in the dorm and ask the other kids what had happened last night.

The staff slammed the door closed and went back to the bus where the other kids were waiting.


	56. Chapter 56

Volume 2 / Chapter 56

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Really? You’re saying a lawyer met Jun Hyuk last night, right? Leave him alone today. Just say he’s sick.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik had an ominous thought once he hung u

“I’ll play the rock version first.”

As Jun Hyuk sat in front of the drums in the recording booth, the producer and composers working with Jo Hyung Joong rubbed their sleepy eyes and started watching.

Jun Hyuk’s music had already aired throughout parts of ‘Tomorrow’s Star’. They had been surprised at the 10 seconds shown of Jun Hyuk on the drums, but this was the kid that Jo Hyung Joong had raved about. Everyone wanted to see how impressive he was.

“Teacher, he doesn’t need a metronome?”

The engineer preparing to record saw that Jun Hyuk did not have an earphone in his ear.

“Leave him. He’ll be able to play one song on beat.”

Jo Hyung Joong signaled to Jun Hyuk,

“Okay, you can start since everything is ready.”

Jun Hyuk started to swing the drumsticks with force. Everyone focused on the performance, but it was not the drum they had expected. It was a plain drum, maintaining a very simple beat.

The only thing unusual about it was that this simple drumming went on for 8 minutes.

 

When Jun Hyuk finished his performance and came out of the booth, the sound engineer and Jo Hyung Joong had puzzled expressions.

“Was it too monotonous?”

“Huh? Uh… No. It was really breezy. It’s good. But Jun Hyuk, 8 minutes is too long. It’s a song to perform. No matter how famous the song is, there isn’t an audience willing to hear 8 minutes of it.”

“It’s 12 minutes.”

“What?”

“The whole thing is 12 minutes. In the middle, there are going to be two points without the drums and just the bass and guitar… I held those places in the middle of the drum.”

They had not even realized that he held spots in the performance because he kept repeating the same simple rhythm. But 12 minutes?

“Hm, it’s too long anyway.”

“Then listen to the whole thing and shorten it for me.”

Jun Hyuk went back into the booth and spoke,

“The bass goes first… the guitar is second, first, I’ll play them like this twice.”

The bass and second guitar were also plain. The bass did have a funky rhythm, but there was none of the grandeur shown on the piano.

 

The last performance started. The performance beginning in glissando (holding strings down with left string while transferring a sound as if sliding) excited everyone watching.

It was fast and magnificent. He played so quickly that the right hand picking the guitar was almost invisible, and the left hand was pressing and pulling the stainless steel strings freely as though they were rubber bands.

“Is… Is he really 17 years old?”

“I… thought so. How old was he when he first picked up a guitar pick?”

They had said that the instruments he knew how to play were the guitar, drum, and piano. He started with music 2 years ago. Just from his performance skills, this was impossible.

 

“Wow, this is what a performance is. That kid really is impressive. How can he do it in one go without a single mistake?”

“Jo Hyung Joong spoke after seeing the recording studio staff who could not stop admiring Jun Hyuk’s performance,

“You heard that as a perfect performance without any mistakes?

“Excuse me?”

“He made a few mistakes. He’s just passing the minor mistakes. It’s fine as long as it has the effect he wants. That kid’s not an amateur. Amateurs only have the thought that they can’t make mistakes whether they’re singing or playing an instrument.”

Jo Hyung Joong shared an episode from his past,

“I’ve recorded Kwang Suk before. Listening to this, I’m thinking of Kwang Suk.”

“Are you talking about Kim Kwang Suk who passed away?”

“Yeah. That was when he performed in Daehak-ro everyday. He was recording his new song holding an acoustic guitar and his voice was cracking. We still couldn’t stop the recording. Even that cracking voice made us ecstatic. Music is like that. If it’s full of atmosphere and that atmosphere comes out, it’s enough.”

Jo Hyung Joong’s satisfied expression did not go away.

When Jun Hyuk came out of the booth after completing all of the pieces, Jo Hyung Joong applauded him sincerely. He had been a musician for over 20 years. Though he heard the drum, bass, and guitar parts separately, he already heard them as a complete song in his head.

 

“When did you start learning to play instruments? It’s as if you were born holding a guitar pick.”

“It’s been about 2 years. There’s a practice room in the basement of the cafe I work at.”

“Really? You really practiced for 2 years and you can play like this?”

He had confirmed again. Talent ignored the laws of time.

The sound engineer let Jo Hyung Joong and Jun Hyuk know that the song had been put together,

“Teacher, the track is complete.”

“Really? That was quick.”

“The track lengths were exact, so there wasn’t much work for me to do separately.”

When he pressed the play button, turbulent metal music filled the recording studio for 12 minutes. The guitar pumped intensely, the drum filled the emptiness, and the bass picked up the melody, creating a perfect harmony.

“What do you think?”

Jun Hyuk spoke when the music was over. Jo Hyung Joong was the first professional Jun Hyuk was working with since he had learned music. He wanted to know what an expert thought.

“Honestly, there are no flaws to point out except for one.”

“What is that?”

“It’s too long. You have to perform this heavy rock song for various audiences. Heavy metal, an instrumental without lyrics, length of 12 minutes. There aren’t many people willing to accept all three.”

“Hm… Then will you arrange it again?”

“Me? Ha ha ha,”

Jo Hyung Joong laughed cheerfully.

“I can’t do that because to me, it’s music without any flaws. I must not change it and I don’t have the ability to change it. You have to do it.”

“I do?”

“Of course. I don’t want to take out a single note.”

Jo Hyung Joong had more advice to give, but saved his words. Jun Hyuk’s version of Canon was a song that unleashed the desire to show off. He must have had this thought while watching the countless electric guitar versions of Canon on YouTube.

 

I play a lot better. If there is someone who has mastered all existing guitar techniques better than I have, come out. It was a performance that gave off this vibe. In this way, it became long for no reason because he needed to show all of the techniques he had.

However, this useless boasting would automatically disappear if the song was shortened to 4 minutes. They needed to take out all unnecessary parts in order to really get the essence of Pachelbel.

He pushed a Jun Hyuk, brooding in thought as though already thinking of new arrangement, back into the recording booth,

“Then should we hear the version with the three guitars?”

The version where the violin melody from the original song was changed to guitars was completely different. He recorded the slow bass rhythm and calm acoustic guitar without a drum first. When it was difficult to predict what form the complete song would take, Jo Hyung Joong questioned Jun Hyuk as he prepared to record the last melody,

“Jun Hyuk, what are you doing?”

“Excuse me? I’m setting the guitar.”

“Why are you doing two?”

“Oh, I’m going to play them together.”

“Together? You’re going to play two at the same time?”

“Yes, because the performance is important.”

It could not be? Jo Hyung Joong thought of one guitarist,

“Are you going to perform in Stanley Jordan’s method?”

Stanley Jordan.

He was an American guitarist who was able to play both the lead and rhythm guitars using both hands in methods like tapping and slapping. He could play the treble and bass at the same time in a twin melody.

Like Stanley Jordan, Jun Hyuk put one guitar around his shoulders and one on the stand.

 

The same melody of 8 bars flowed from the two guitars. This was Canon itself. Canon was a chorus where the the first part was sung followed by the chorus while leaving a certain measure in between. Jun Hyuk imitated the leading melody while playing in a format with successive chords in a temporal flow.

Jun Hyuk’s two hands moved elegantly over the two guitars as though there were two people performing.

After hearing both versions of Canon, Jo Hyung Joong’s instinct as a producer tingled. He did not know how long Jun Hyuk would survive on the program, but he wanted to put Jun Hyuk’s songs together to make an album.

He had already created four songs. Finkl’s song NOW in jazz on the piano, the two versions of Canon, and Shin Hae Chul’s From the Sun to the Boy.

There was no reason to gather only the songs from the broadcast. This was a child who had the talent to continue creating music.

Jo Hyung Joong’s phone rang as he was excited with this expectation,

“Yeah, Producer Kim. Why are you calling?”

– Hi. I just wanted to see if the work was going well.

“Yeah, there’s no problem. Don’t worry about it.”

– Is Jun Hyuk working on the mission song?

“Yeah, there’s a lot to think about because all three songs are good.”

– Excuse me? What do you mean there are three songs?

He had called to check on Jun Hyuk’s state, but heard something unexpected.

“Jun Hyuk arranged a classic and it’s no joke. I’m wondering which will be better too.”

– You know… we can’t change that.

“It’s okay. It’s a classic without copyrights.”

– Copyrights aren’t the problem. There’s another problem involved…..

“Geez. He’s doing so well on his own. Is it a problem with the contract again?”

 

Jo Hyung Joong spoke with a voice full of irritation. It was obvious that the variety show entertainment production executives and the main producer had agreed to share the profits with the agency holding the copyrights.

– Don’t say anything to me. I’m just a wage earner. I have to do what the people higher up say.

“Fine. We’ll do the appointed song, but you have to listen to a favor me.”

– Sure. Tell me what it is.

“Arrange for an orchestra. We don’t need a lot, just 16 people. You can’t do students though. You have to get people beyond that.”

– Why an orchestra all of a sudden? Can’t you work on the MIDI operations?

“Jun Hyuk’s piano is really good and the orchestral accompaniment came out nicely. It’s a waste to do as a MIDI operation.”

– Alright. We have to do that much for you. Also… is Jun Hyuk doing well?

“Yeah. I was careful with him for no reason because you said stuff about him being rogue. He’s a good kid and just does music. Why? Did something happen?”

– No, it’s nothing. I was just wondering.

It seemed everything was still okay. Producer Kim Ki Sik kept praying that they would pass over this without any problems.

Jun Hyung Joong painstakingly polished the three songs to the point where he would have no problem releasing an album with Jun Hyuk right away. For a week, Jun Hyuk forgot everything and concentrated on creating the best music.

p the call from the staff on site at the dorm,

‘A lawyer…..’

Jun Hyuk met a lawyer and would not get out of bed. He was positive the cafe owner had hired a lawyer and Jun Hyuk had heard about what was going on outside. He rushed to the dorm in Ilsan without delay.

When he opened the front door of the dorm, he saw Jun Hyuk laying around the sofa reading a music score. There were cup ramens and canned drinks around the sofa along with the empty dishes and crushed cans that he had already gone through.

“Are you okay? I heard you’re sick.”

“What? No. I said that I wasn’t in the mood.”

Jun Hyuk seemed relaxed in comparison to the staff who had been as frantic as if a wooden house had caught on fire.

“Alright. Do you feel better?”

“I feel better now that I’ve fixed my score and changed it a bit.”

Could he be okay after finding out that someone like a parent had fallen into trouble? Producer Kim Ki Sik spoke cautiously,

“Jun Hyuk. Yesterday, was there…”

“Producer. Can you drop me off at Teacher Jo Hyung Joong’s studio right now?”

“What? To Jo Hyung Joong?”

“Yes. I need to show him the arrangement of the orchestra part I finished for the mission song.”

“O… Okay. But I don’t know if he’ll be at the studio this early in the morning.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik felt intuitively that he was avoiding it. He was deliberately avoiding what happened yesterday and this morning. He did not want to say what had happened.

He is not the type to go past something as if nothing had happened. Could it be that he had ulterior motives? Or had he resigned because he knew that he did not have the power to do anything?

Producer Kim Ki Sik thought that he did not need to prod Jun Hyuk who did not want to talk about it. There was no need to bother Jun Hyuk yet. They could just monitor his state for a little longer and make him quit the program if they detected anything strange. Fortunately, there was still a lot of time left before the live broadcast.

“He said that he would be at the studio for the time being because of the arrangements.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik who was lost in his thoughts took Jun Hyuk to Jo Hyung Joong’s studio.

***

Jo Hyung Joong who had fallen asleep at dawn on the studio sofa looked for coffee before he could even open his eyes properly when Jun Hyuk barged in first thing in the morning, waking him up.

While Jo Hyung Joong gulped down his coffee, Jun Hyuk handed him a bundle of scores as thick as a textbook.

“You didn’t go to this morning’s schedule? Don’t you need to go to fitness?”

“I played hooky today because this is more important.”

“But why are there so many scores? I told you to configure it for 16 instruments.”

“This is 16. I brought the Symphony No. 1 I told you about too.”

“Oh right. Symphony No. 1.”

Jo Hyung Joong started to look over the score for ‘From the Sun to the Boy’ slowly. After looking at the score for over 10 minutes, he sighed in admiration,

“Whew- I’ll have to tell them to give you the fees for the arrangement.”

“Excuse me?”

“There’s nothing to change here, so you have to get the arrangement fees and I’ll just get the recording fees.”

“Do you like it?”

“Hm… I had been thinking of an elaborate orchestral accompaniment, but you made it very refreshing. It’s an arrangement that clearly indicates that the piano is the main. But…..”

Jun Hyuk fixed his gaze on Jo Hyung Joong who hesitated to speak while waiting to hear what was lacking in his music.

“This song will bring admiration when listening to it on a CD, but the first release is on a stage to the audience and through the TV. I’m worried it’ll lack impact. The orchestral accompaniment will go out as the MR and there’s just a piano on the stage. It’s especially hard to deliver the rich music scene on the TV. That’s why the performance becomes an important element.”

“You’re saying the performance is important, right?”

“Right. But Jun Hyuk, have you decided on this song? What happened to Pachelbel’s Canon?”

“I don’t need to do it. From now on, I’m not going to do the music I want to do, but what other people like.”

Jun Hyuk who had said just yesterday that he wanted to do Canon was saying now that he wanted to play music for others. Why? What had happened to make him change overnight? He had a firm perspective on music unlike other kids these days.

Jo Hung Joong was surprised by the change in Jun Hyuk and wanted to know what the reason was, but did not want to show his curiosity. There was no need to rush when he would find out anyway. Jun Hyuk was someone who could not help but communicate through music.

“Hm… This won’t do. I’m getting greedy.”

“Excuse me?”

“I want to listen to everything. Pachelbel’s Canon, both versions. The recorders will be here in a bit so let’s try recording right away.”

“No, teacher. We can do that next time…”

“Didn’t you say it? You’re going to do music that other people want to hear? Let’s hear it. I’ll pick the music that will make you shine most on stage. I’m a person who knows exactly what the public’s preference is. Leave it to me since whatever I choose will be jackpot.”

Jo Hyung Joong winked as he laughed and ran into the shower to regain his consciousness.


	57. Chapter 57

Volume 2 / Chapter 57

TL: LightNovelCafe

“I’ll play the rock version first.”

As Jun Hyuk sat in front of the drums in the recording booth, the producer and composers working with Jo Hyung Joong rubbed their sleepy eyes and started watching.

Jun Hyuk’s music had already aired throughout parts of ‘Tomorrow’s Star’. They had been surprised at the 10 seconds shown of Jun Hyuk on the drums, but this was the kid that Jo Hyung Joong had raved about. Everyone wanted to see how impressive he was.

“Teacher, he doesn’t need a metronome?”

The engineer preparing to record saw that Jun Hyuk did not have an earphone in his ear.

“Leave him. He’ll be able to play one song on beat.”

Jo Hyung Joong signaled to Jun Hyuk,

“Okay, you can start since everything is ready.”

Jun Hyuk started to swing the drumsticks with force. Everyone focused on the performance, but it was not the drum they had expected. It was a plain drum, maintaining a very simple beat.

The only thing unusual about it was that this simple drumming went on for 8 minutes.

 

When Jun Hyuk finished his performance and came out of the booth, the sound engineer and Jo Hyung Joong had puzzled expressions.

“Was it too monotonous?”

“Huh? Uh… No. It was really breezy. It’s good. But Jun Hyuk, 8 minutes is too long. It’s a song to perform. No matter how famous the song is, there isn’t an audience willing to hear 8 minutes of it.”

“It’s 12 minutes.”

“What?”

“The whole thing is 12 minutes. In the middle, there are going to be two points without the drums and just the bass and guitar… I held those places in the middle of the drum.”

They had not even realized that he held spots in the performance because he kept repeating the same simple rhythm. But 12 minutes?

“Hm, it’s too long anyway.”

“Then listen to the whole thing and shorten it for me.”

Jun Hyuk went back into the booth and spoke,

“The bass goes first… the guitar is second, first, I’ll play them like this twice.”

The bass and second guitar were also plain. The bass did have a funky rhythm, but there was none of the grandeur shown on the piano.

 

The last performance started. The performance beginning in glissando (holding strings down with left string while transferring a sound as if sliding) excited everyone watching.

It was fast and magnificent. He played so quickly that the right hand picking the guitar was almost invisible, and the left hand was pressing and pulling the stainless steel strings freely as though they were rubber bands.

“Is… Is he really 17 years old?”

“I… thought so. How old was he when he first picked up a guitar pick?”

They had said that the instruments he knew how to play were the guitar, drum, and piano. He started with music 2 years ago. Just from his performance skills, this was impossible.

 

“Wow, this is what a performance is. That kid really is impressive. How can he do it in one go without a single mistake?”

“Jo Hyung Joong spoke after seeing the recording studio staff who could not stop admiring Jun Hyuk’s performance,

“You heard that as a perfect performance without any mistakes?

“Excuse me?”

“He made a few mistakes. He’s just passing the minor mistakes. It’s fine as long as it has the effect he wants. That kid’s not an amateur. Amateurs only have the thought that they can’t make mistakes whether they’re singing or playing an instrument.”

Jo Hyung Joong shared an episode from his past,

“I’ve recorded Kwang Suk before. Listening to this, I’m thinking of Kwang Suk.”

“Are you talking about Kim Kwang Suk who passed away?”

“Yeah. That was when he performed in Daehak-ro everyday. He was recording his new song holding an acoustic guitar and his voice was cracking. We still couldn’t stop the recording. Even that cracking voice made us ecstatic. Music is like that. If it’s full of atmosphere and that atmosphere comes out, it’s enough.”

Jo Hyung Joong’s satisfied expression did not go away.

When Jun Hyuk came out of the booth after completing all of the pieces, Jo Hyung Joong applauded him sincerely. He had been a musician for over 20 years. Though he heard the drum, bass, and guitar parts separately, he already heard them as a complete song in his head.

 

“When did you start learning to play instruments? It’s as if you were born holding a guitar pick.”

“It’s been about 2 years. There’s a practice room in the basement of the cafe I work at.”

“Really? You really practiced for 2 years and you can play like this?”

He had confirmed again. Talent ignored the laws of time.

The sound engineer let Jo Hyung Joong and Jun Hyuk know that the song had been put together,

“Teacher, the track is complete.”

“Really? That was quick.”

“The track lengths were exact, so there wasn’t much work for me to do separately.”

When he pressed the play button, turbulent metal music filled the recording studio for 12 minutes. The guitar pumped intensely, the drum filled the emptiness, and the bass picked up the melody, creating a perfect harmony.

“What do you think?”

Jun Hyuk spoke when the music was over. Jo Hyung Joong was the first professional Jun Hyuk was working with since he had learned music. He wanted to know what an expert thought.

“Honestly, there are no flaws to point out except for one.”

“What is that?”

“It’s too long. You have to perform this heavy rock song for various audiences. Heavy metal, an instrumental without lyrics, length of 12 minutes. There aren’t many people willing to accept all three.”

“Hm… Then will you arrange it again?”

“Me? Ha ha ha,”

Jo Hyung Joong laughed cheerfully.

“I can’t do that because to me, it’s music without any flaws. I must not change it and I don’t have the ability to change it. You have to do it.”

“I do?”

“Of course. I don’t want to take out a single note.”

Jo Hyung Joong had more advice to give, but saved his words. Jun Hyuk’s version of Kanon was a song that unleashed the desire to show off. He must have had this thought while watching the countless electric guitar versions of Kanon on YouTube.

 

I play a lot better. If there is someone who has mastered all existing guitar techniques better than I have, come out. It was a performance that gave off this vibe. In this way, it became long for no reason because he needed to show all of the techniques he had.

However, this useless boasting would automatically disappear if the song was shortened to 4 minutes. They needed to take out all unnecessary parts in order to really get the essence of Pachelbel.

He pushed a Jun Hyuk, brooding in thought as though already thinking of new arrangement, back into the recording booth,

“Then should we hear the version with the three guitars?”

The version where the violin melody from the original song was changed to guitars was completely different. He recorded the slow bass rhythm and calm acoustic guitar without a drum first. When it was difficult to predict what form the complete song would take, Jo Hyung Joong questioned Jun Hyuk as he prepared to record the last melody,

“Jun Hyuk, what are you doing?”

“Excuse me? I’m setting the guitar.”

“Why are you doing two?”

“Oh, I’m going to play them together.”

“Together? You’re going to play two at the same time?”

“Yes, because the performance is important.”

It could not be? Jo Hyung Joong thought of one guitarist,

“Are you going to perform in Stanley Jordan’s method?”

Stanley Jordan.

He was an American guitarist who was able to play both the lead and rhythm guitars using both hands in methods like tapping and slapping. He could play the treble and bass at the same time in a twin melody.

Like Stanley Jordan, Jun Hyuk put one guitar around his shoulders and one on the stand.

 

The same melody of 8 bars flowed from the two guitars. This was Kanon itself. Kanon was a chorus where the the first part was sung followed by the chorus while leaving a certain measure in between. Jun Hyuk imitated the leading melody while playing in a format with successive chords in a temporal flow.

Jun Hyuk’s two hands moved elegantly over the two guitars as though there were two people performing.

After hearing both versions of Kanon, Jo Hyung Joong’s instinct as a producer tingled. He did not know how long Jun Hyuk would survive on the program, but he wanted to put Jun Hyuk’s songs together to make an album.

He had already created four songs. Finkl’s song NOW in jazz on the piano, the two versions of Kanon, and Shin Hae Chul’s From the Sun to the Boy.

There was no reason to gather only the songs from the broadcast. This was a child who had the talent to continue creating music.

Jo Hyung Joong’s phone rang as he was excited with this expectation,

“Yeah, Producer Kim. Why are you calling?”

– Hi. I just wanted to see if the work was going well.

“Yeah, there’s no problem. Don’t worry about it.”

– Is Jun Hyuk working on the mission song?

“Yeah, there’s a lot to think about because all three songs are good.”

– Excuse me? What do you mean there are three songs?

He had called to check on Jun Hyuk’s state, but heard something unexpected.

“Jun Hyuk arranged a classic and it’s no joke. I’m wondering which will be better too.”

– You know… we can’t change that.

“It’s okay. It’s a classic without copyrights.”

– Copyrights aren’t the problem. There’s another problem involved…..

“Geez. He’s doing so well on his own. Is it a problem with the contract again?”

Jo Hyung Joong spoke with a voice full of irritation. It was obvious that the variety show entertainment production executives and the main producer had agreed to share the profits with the agency holding the copyrights.

– Don’t say anything to me. I’m just a wage earner. I have to do what the people higher up say.

“Fine. We’ll do the appointed song, but you have to listen to a favor me.”

– Sure. Tell me what it is.

“Arrange for an orchestra. We don’t need a lot, just 16 people. You can’t do students though. You have to get people beyond that.”

– Why an orchestra all of a sudden? Can’t you work on the MIDI operations?

“Jun Hyuk’s piano is really good and the orchestral accompaniment came out nicely. It’s a waste to do as a MIDI operation.”

– Alright. We have to do that much for you. Also… is Jun Hyuk doing well?

“Yeah. I was careful with him for no reason because you said stuff about him being rogue. He’s a good kid and just does music. Why? Did something happen?”

– No, it’s nothing. I was just wondering.

It seemed everything was still okay. Producer Kim Ki Sik kept praying that they would pass over this without any problems.

Jun Hyung Joong painstakingly polished the three songs to the point where he would have no problem releasing an album with Jun Hyuk right away. For a week, Jun Hyuk forgot everything and concentrated on creating the best music.


	58. Chapter 58

Volume 2 / Chapter 58

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Senior, these lawyers are saying that they would like to meet with you.”

“Lawyers? What are you talking about?

“A couple of them came.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik was annoyed that the legal team was bothering him with legal

matters when he had spent two sleepless days sitting on the cutting room sofa.

The company written on the business card the lawyer handed over was Peace Law

 

Firm. Lawyer Baek Seung Ho. Producer Kim Ki Sik felt that something was going wrong.

When looking at the number of lawyers and fees of Korea’s countless law firms, it was

a giant firm ranked in 1st or 2nd place. And each business card being handed over said lawyer.

What could be happening that three of them came looking for him while flaunting their prestige?

“Why are lawyers of such a big law firm looking for the producer of an entertainment

program?”

“We’re just here about some issues regarding Yoon Kwang Hun. Excuse our

intrusion.”

“Yoon Kwang Hun? Oh, the owner of the cafe where Jun Hyuk worked?”

“Yes. I am his attorney.”

An owner of a small cafe in Misari appointed a lawyer from Korea’s best law firm as

his attorney? Producer Kim became even more confused,

 

“If you’re here to talk about the articles going around the internet, you’ve come to the

wrong place. If you want to file a lawsuit, you have to go to the press offices.”

“Ha ha. It’s not that bad. Aren’t I a lawyer?”

“Then why?”

“We have a couple things to ask.”

“Let’s end this quickly since I’m busy.”

“Oh, sure. When you sent out the press release, did you release information about Jun

Hyuk as well? That he didn’t get any wages for the past 2 years, that Yoon Kwang Hun acquired

 

guardianship of him after he appeared on the program and right before they signed the contract…

Information like that.”

He was positive these lawyers had come to the broadcasting station to look for the

people who spread the rumors first. He broke out in a cold sweat,

“I’m not sure. You have to confirm that with the public relations team. The production

team doesn’t deal with that kind of stuff.”

“Really? I just met with the manager of the public relations team and he said that there

was a request not to release any information on Jun Hyuk. We came here knowing it’s a pardon

because we wanted to see if there was a special reason for this.”

“Oh, we did request that. We did not want to create news with such provocative

articles.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik wanted to run away to the legal team immediately, but he could

not show the slightest sign of this. The lawyer’s eyes were watching him and taking note of his

complexion like a wild beast seeking its prey.

Lawyer Baek Seung Ho already knew that the sweat building on Producer Kim Ki

Sik’s forehead was not because of the heat.

The person whose secret has been revealed has already lost the fight. Baek Seung Ho

spoke with more vigor than Jun Hyuk swung his drumsticks in order to wave his flag of victory,

 

“I see. Then one more thing. Is is true that only this broadcasting station knew about

the ‘facts’ regarding Yoon Kwang Hun and Jun Hyuk’s relationship? Jun Hyuk did a lot of

interviews about his past. However, many articles came up just two or three hours after the

program aired. There was even information that they could never know just by watching the

broadcast. What do you think happened?”

“You’ll have to ask the press offices. How would I know?”

His anger was proof that he was frustrated. Baek Seung Ho was certain that this main

producer may not be the culprit of the media show, but was an accomplice at the least.

“Pardon the inconvenience. We just asked to check. So the broadcasting station never

leaked information to the press office. We will keep this in mind.”

“Excuse me. Did the cafe owner appoint you as his lawyer?”

He was checking a question he did not need to ask. He must not want to believe that

Yoon Kwang Hun had a relationship with such an influential law firm like Peace.

 

“Yes. He’s like an older brother to me, so I said that I would take this case first. And as

you can see, our law firm is treating this as a very important case.”

Baek Seung Ho was highlighting that the three lawyers were working together.

“We cannot condone the spreading of such vicious false rumors. We intend to give

legal penalties even to people who leave malicious comments online.”

He made his point concrete to Producer Kim Ki Sik who was already at a loss for

words.

“Oh right. We forgot the most important aspect.”

Baek Seung Ho pulled a thin manila folder out of his bag and handed it over,

“This is a warrant. I’m Yoon Kwang Hun and Jun Hyuk’s counsel. Going forward,

Peace Law Firm will review everything related to their contracts.”

As Producer Kim Ki Sik accepted the documents, Baek Seung Ho gave him a friendly

smile. He was certain that he could make the last, decisive move,

“And there’s something we would like to propose.”

“Propose?”

“Yes. We would like to modify the contract between Jang Jung Hyuk and MV

channel.”

“Modify the contract? What nonsense! Both sides have already signed.”

Was it not already a much more generous contract compared to the other contestants’?

To modify that? It could not be done.

“Oy, Producer. Isn’t that why I’m proposing that we change it? Don’t be so

antagonistic.”

“Fine. Let’s hear it.”

“As you know, hasn’t Jun Hyuk been the hottest issue for the past 3 weeks? The

viewer ratings for ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ has increased greatly because of that.”

“So?”

“If you look at the contract, the revenue was structured so 40% went to the publisher,

40% to the track producer, and the remaining 20% was split between the composer, lyricist,

 

arranger, performer, and singer. But doesn’t this structure make it so that MV channel takes 80%

as the publisher and producer?”

“We’re not the only ones who do that. That’s the standard in Korea’s music industry.”

“Yes, I understand. Since publishers are created on idol standards these days, it costs a

lot to produce music. To train idols, you need to buy the song, call in the session men to play the

music, and find a producer… It’s expensive.”

“A lawyer knows a lot about such things.”

“I did a bit of research. Ha ha. Anyway, I heard that Jun Hyuk writes his own songs,

performs, and produces his own accompaniments. He’s doing everything on his own. If we

calculate the production costs, isn’t it just the recording fee?”

“Is that right? Are you asking to receive the producing profits?”

“You catch on quickly. We need to receive 15% of the production 40%. We were

going to demand half but…”

“This man! Are you crazy? Let’s end this if you’re going to keep talking nonsense.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik stood up from his seat while huffing in anger. This is a proposal

that would be hard to accept even if it were for a legend like Jo Yong Pil. No matter how much

traction Jun Hyuk brought in viewer ratings, how dare they try to claim the production profits.

“Then we will admit Jun Hyuk to the hospital tomorrow. He will need to stay for one

or two months of course.”

Baek Seung Ho’s low but clear voice stuck in Producer Kim Ki Sik’s ears.

“What?”

“Don’t you think so? The man who might as well be his biological parent has been

beaten up for the past three weeks as Korea’s greatest villain. Don’t you think his shock would

be unimaginable?”

Producer Kim Ki Sik could not help but sit back in his seat. The hospital. Even if they

put the bustling media second, they would need to completely edit Jun Hyuk out of the broadcast

 

airing in three days. The biggest issue was that all of the previews they had aired of Jun Hyuk

whenever they had the chance to would all go to waste if he did not appear on the live broadcast

stage.

Jun Hyuk had created an overwhelming fan base of women in their teens and 20s

because of his good looks. Furthermore, his dramatic 17 year life built a compassion that

gathered even people in their 40s to the TV.

With such high expectations for Jun Hyuk, half of these viewers would disappear if he

were to exit the competition.

“Are you threatening me?”

“Do you hear it as a threat? If you listen to the rest of my words, you will come to

understand that it’s a proposal.”

Baek Seung Ho knew well that the proposal would not stick with just a threat. In order

to get something, something needed to give.

“Very well. Let’s hear the rest; see how far you take this.”

“Star Week recording goes out again in three days, right? We will hold a press

conference that day. It’ll be a joint press conference for Jun Hyuk and Yoon Kwang Hun. It’s

going to end very warmly. Then the media will be abuzz… and that’ll affect viewer ratings

directly.”

Baek Seung Ho took out a presentation and passed them over,

“Take a look. We have organized the interview contents. You’ll know by reading

through it, but the questions are killer. I guarantee viewer ratings will surpass 10% no matter

what.”

With Producer Kim Ki Sik who skimmed over the documents in front of him, Baek

Seung Ho went over more of the proposal,

“And every week on the day of the broadcast, we at Peace are going to release our

work one by one. The lawsuit against the press office, lawsuit against the malicious commenters,

et cetera. We’ll make it first place in real-time searches every week. It won’t be a damaging

agreement to the broadcasting station in any way.”

“What if we say no?”

“Didn’t I tell you? Jun Hyuk will be admitted to the hospital. It’s an end to his

activities. Then track revenues will disappear entirely. All you’ll have are one or two songs from

Star Week.”

“The contract says that he can’t refuse appearing on the broadcast until he’s

eliminated…”

“How can a child who passed out from mental shock appear on broadcast? This is a

force majeure. There isn’t a single judge in Korea who will send a child hospitalized after

fainting to a stage.”

The actress who lays in a hospital bed to avoid a breach of contract. It was a common

scenario. It was common because this method worked.

“And if you refuse my proposal, we won’t start this lawsuit that the media will be so

interested in until after ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ is over. Our Peace Law Firm has no intention of

helping you with your viewer ratings.”

This meant he was going to make everyone forget about Jun Hyuk during the

broadcasting period.

“I’m sure you’re busy, so we’ll get up now. Think about it and give us a call by

tomorrow morning. If you don’t call us by tomorrow morning, Jun Hyuk will be admitted to the

hospital. Then, good day to you.”

Baek Seung Ho left the conference room without looking back. When the lawyers left,

Producer Kim Ki Sik felt numb as if a typhoon had just passed. How could this happen?


	59. Chapter 59

Volume 2 / Chapter 59

TL: LightNovelCafe

Inside the broadcast station elevator, a lawyer who had followed Baek Seung Ho finally began to speak,

“Wow, senior. That was really impressive. How did you think to propose such a deal? I couldn’t even imagine that.”

“I didn’t think of it.”

“What? Then who?”

“It’s Yoon Kwang Hun’s idea.”

“Yoon Kwang Hun? The cafe owner?”

“Yeah. That man was a fearsome beast in the past. He’s living quietly because he’s a wolf without teeth now. He can easily ruin a producer of a broadcast station.”

The junior lawyer had a difficult time conceptualizing the cafe owner he had seen once as a fearsome beast. He could not imagine that from that quiet man who had only smiled cheerfully.

 

“I was only going to confirm the facts with the broadcast station. I was just going to end it after seeing if they spread the subject matter for the tabloids. The broadcast station isn’t our target. We need to ruin the press offices and the people making malicious comments since the objects of the lawsuit are these two. The broadcast station doesn’t have a link to Yoon Kwang Hun.”

“That’s right. I thought it was strange as well. Even if they did spread the rumors, it’s obvious that they’ll pretend they didn’t.”

“We still need to check. What did you think? That producer seemed to be surprised, right?”

“Yes. I’m certain he has a relationship with that agency you talked about.”

“Yeah, but there’s nothing we can do. There’s no evidence and he’s not a direct party. If we shake the press office, they’re bound to fight each other. If the agency paid them off, you think they’ll stay still? As they do that, I’m sure something more will come out. I was going to wait, but Yoon Kwang Hun said that we need to wield the knife while we had it by the hilt. Later later. It’s stupid to rely on later when we don’t know how it’ll end up.”

 

Baek Seung Ho recalled Yoon Kwang Hun’s past when he was like a fearsome beast. He had been the person able to crush a perfectly good company without hesitation in order to guarantee success in future investments.

He used to be a cruel beast who would laugh and say that it was the law of nature for a wolf to eat a lamb.

Life was really unpredictable when seeing a man like now running a cafe while taking care of a talented boy.

***

Producer Kim Ki Sik sat in the conference room alone for a while and then ran to the legal team.

“Ah, Producer Kim. Good that you came. I was going to request a meeting with you.”

“Peace?”

“Huh? How did you know? Did they go to you too?”

“Yes. They said they wanted to check a few things…..”

“Jun Hyuk must really be a gem. He’s only been on air once or twice, but magnate company like this starts managing him. It’s a good thing they appeared after our contract with him was already completed. If not, we wouldn’t have been able to contract him. They would have made a huge deal that it’s an unfair contract.”

 

The legal team looked as though they were relieved that Peace had come later without realizing that Producer Kim Ki Sik was burning up inside.

“That’s not why those people came.”

“Ah, there’s something else, but it doesn’t matter for us. It’s an issue with the media. But… is that true?”

The rumors that provoked the internet. Age and position had nothing to do with wanting to know the truth behind these gossip articles. The middle aged chief of the legal team had eyes full of curiosity.

“The articles in the media? No. Jun Hyuk and the cafe owner don’t have that kind of relationship.”

“Really? Then the press offices are dead. He he.”

The chief of the legal team laughed sinisterly as though he already knew what was going to happen.

“What? Why?”

“You didn’t see the warrant?”

“I saw it. That’s not something special, is it?”

“Look at the date it was delegated.”

“What about it?”

“The cafe owner signed the warrant the day the first article went out. But it’s been three weeks and Peace hasn’t done anything.Why do you think they would do that?”

“…..?”

“What if Jun Hyuk and the cafe owner had held a press conference as soon as the first articles went out? If Jun Hyuk had cried while saying ‘Yoon Kwang Hun is like a father to me,’ wouldn’t it have been heartwarming?”

Producer Kim Ki Sik had a vague idea of why the time the warrant had been delegated was important.

 

“Didn’t they announce gender equality last week? After checking, Yoon Kwang Hun’s attorney said that he would review everything. The internet became quiet after the gender equality announcement too. That situation was resolved with this. Peace has been waiting until now. They’ve been gathering the materials for their counterpunch.”

The chief’s explanation was no longer necessary. Producer Kim Ki Sik knew enough about Peace’s strategy.

“How many articles are there on the internet? Didn’t the press offices go overboard and write more when the cafe owner disappeared? Tsk tsk, they wrote articles as undoubtable facts instead of leaving room for suspicion. All of the comments were covered in swearing. Peace has been waiting for that. Now the press office and the people who left comments are all dead.”

“It’s that bad? But it’s a press office…..”

“I guess you wouldn’t know. Once, there was a scandal about an actress and people commented all sorts of bad things like that she was dirty and a tramp. That actress hired Peace to sue those commenters.”

The chief stuck out his tongue while thinking of how severe the people at Peace are,

“They went through criminal proceedings for malicious libel and got fines for $200. And going on to civil rights, they claimed damage fines of $2,000 per person. That’s hundreds of people, hundreds. Peace made sure they received every last bit of that.”

“Geez.”

“When that actress hired Peace, she had agreed to give them all of the compensation as their fees since it doesn’t look good for a successful actress to take money from random people.”

“Then?”

One question had been answered. Now he knew how a cafe owner had been able to hire Peace.

“Producer Kim, you have no sense. What money does a cafe owner have to hire Peace as his attorney? I bet Peace will take more than 80% of the compensation they receive. This is a lawsuit resulting in at least $10 million.”

 

The cold sweat he showed in front of lawyer Baek Seung Ho was nothing. The events to come were not going to end with the internet press office. The wounded press office might charge Dine Music for the money. This link needed to end at Dine Music.

The chief of the legal team had a hunch that something was wrong when he saw Producer Kim Ki Sik’s cold sweat,

“But why are you like that? Is there a problem?”

“Oh, no.”

“What is it? We’re not involved, are we? Hurry up and tell me before the problem gets bigger.”

“The truth is… It seems that someone on our end was drinking with a person at some agency and talked about the two people’s relationship. And that was spilled to the press office through that agency.”

“Whew… That’s fine. I was surprised. I knew the articles had gone up too quickly.”

“It’ll be okay, right?”

“It’s fine. It’s just something he said drunk. If you’re looking at it legally, the problem is the person who wrote the article. Is everything you say while you’re drinking the truth? That’s just a personal thought or guess. The person who wrote it without checking the facts is at fault. There’s no power in the spoken word. It needs to be printed, photographed, or recorded. It needs to be detailed. Don’t worry.”

“Ah, okay. Thank you.”

They could slip out of it and they could end the connection. Producer Kim Ki Sik thought that he needed to hurry up and tell the director of the entertainment station this and cut their ties to Dine Music.


	60. Chapter 60

Volume 2 / Chapter 60

TL: LightNovelCafe

Producer Kim Ki Sik who came out of the Director’s office seemed to be at peace. The Director was not someone who had reached his position on a gamble. Their contract with Dine Music did not even mention Jang Jun Hyuk’s name. There was no connection in the first place because it says that among the finalists of ‘Tomorrow’s Star,’ it indicated as ‘the person who signs with Dine Music.’

The Director was also in agreement that it would not be damaging to share some of the profits that Jun Hyuk brought in because he brought in a lot of profits oriented to the viewer ratings. On top of that, it was not a song but an accompaniment. Jun Hyuk was needed more for the viewer ratings than track sales.

The Director fully understood that the attorney was right in saying that if Jun Hyuk were to disappear to the hospital, they would lose both the viewer ratings and the profits. The answer was simple if they calculated it a few times.

 

Instead, the Director did not forget to tell him to negotiate until the end. His order was to lower the 15% producer revenue that the attorney had requested to 10%.

The attorney was not stupid. He would have demanded 15% knowing that they would try to lower it, so he would be willing to accept 10%.

***

Jun Hyuk finished recording all three songs over the last week. He had only left the orchestral accompaniment for the piano version of From the Sun to the Boy to perfect it more.

Jun Hyuk rejected the usual recording system. He wanted to record the violin, viola, cello, oboe, et cetera all together instead of recording each separately.

 

He thought that the sound of the different instruments having a conversation while pulling each other along could not come out if recorded as separate tracks.

However, they needed to push the recording for the orchestra for two days. The broadcasting station needed Jun Hyuk for something more important, so they had emptied his schedule for two days to send him outside.

“Boss.”

“What’s this? How many times have you been on air and you still look like this? You don’t look like a celebrity at all. Ha ha.”

“What? I thought you would have been suffering, but you’ve put on weight.”

Jun Hyuk and Yoon Kwang Hun wanted to hug each other, but they were Korean men who found such sappy things awkward. All they did was hold hands as they faced each other.

 

A lot of reporters were already waiting at the press conference that Peace Law Firm had prepared. As they were in the waiting room on one side of the conference room, it felt as though the two had not seen each other in months, not 20 days.

“I just rested. I didn’t even look at the internet. I spent my days eating, sleeping, and listening to music, so I just gained weight.”

“I guess I was the only one worrying.”

“That’s why I told you not to think about it and just focus on your music. Did you make your mission song?”

“Yes. The sound is unbelievable when you’re working with experts with good recording studio equipment. I really like it.”

“Then that’s enough. This is all over after today. Focus on your music more starting tomorrow.”

“What’s over? It’s all over if the press conference goes well.”

Baek Seung Ho who had been watching their reunion silently looked at them with blazing eyes,

“Jun Hyuk, listen well. You can’t curse at the reporters or get mad at them during the press conference. If you do, the press offices won’t write about the truth, but about your swearing and temper. Then everything we endured until now will go to waste. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“What did I say the best revenge against adults is?”

“Money.”

“That’s right. We’ll ruin them with their money… So be aware.”

“Okay, don’t worry about it. I won’t lose my temper.”

 

Yoon Kwang Hun’s eyes widened as he listened to their conversation,

“Seung Ho, you… What are you saying to Jun Hyuk? What is this about money? You’re talking nonsense to a kid.”

“You stay put. Is Jun Hyuk a child? I heard he got $20,000 for his modeling fees. And I’m sure he’ll be making some money from the music he released on the last broadcast. Jun Hyuk isn’t a child anymore. Don’t treat him like a child when he’s out in society making money on his own, and a lot of it, and a lot more of it than most adults at that.”

Yoon Kwang Hun stopped speaking when he saw Baek Seung Ho’s somberness. He was right. Jun Hyuk was now on his own, working with experts. As he thought that, Jun Hyuk seemed to have grown a lot.

“Okay, let’s go out. Let’s hurry up and get this finished so we can go and drink.”

The three men went out into the press conference.

***

“I am Lawyer Baek Seung Ho of Peace Law Firm. First, I’d like to thank everyone who came here to report the truth.”

As Baek Seung Ho politely greeted the reporters, the cameras started flashing.

“Please direct your attention to this video.”

The conference room light turned off and a screen covering one wall lit up. Lawyer Baek Seung Ho had prepared for the press conference as though it were an investment presentation.

A middle-aged man came up on the screen,

“Hello, I am pianist Go Sae Won. I studied the piano in France and Italy, and I am a lecturer at a university as well.”

Go Sae Won spoke for a while about when Yoon Kwang Hun came looking for him with a young genius a year ago and gave him lessons. He explained how Yoon Kwang Hun strived to help Jun Hyuk excel at the piano.

 

When the video was over, dozens of e-mail messages in English showed up on the screen.

“These messages are already in the documents. Professor Go Sae Won has been communicating with schools in Europe and Yoon Kwang Hun in America for admissions since before Jun Hyuk entered the audition program. Any school would be happy to accept a talented person like Jun Hyuk, so Professor Go Sae Won and Yoon Kwang Hun have been going through them carefully.”

Baek Seung Ho paused to see the reporters’ reactions and spoke again,

“The reports that Yoon Kwang Hun intended to create an agency to leech off of him are unfounded. He just wanted to give Jun Hyuk a good memory to leave Korea with from the audition program.”

As the reporters began to murmur, a picture of Jun Hyuk’s practice room came on the screen.

“This is a picture of the practice room that Yoon Kwang Hun created for Jun Hyuk in the basement of his cafe. Jun Hyuk made as much music as he wanted and worked on training his instrument skills here.”

Another picture came up on the screen of the instruments and equipment.

“These are the instruments and equipment that Yoon Kwang Hun set up for Jun Hyuk. All of the specs are detailed here as well. To put it simply, the only people who have equipment like this are top-class bands. To get all of this, Yoon Kwang Hun had to get a mortgage loan on his apartment and has invested over $100,000.”

The reporters started to murmur more when they heard about the $100,000 and mortgage loan.

“Jun Hyuk worked at the cafe because of his kind thinking that he would like to help Yoon Kwang Hun in any way he could. The only work Jun Hyuk did was to clean the cafe before it opened and once it was closed. He never even washed the dishes. He spent the rest of his time focusing on his music.”

A few reporters who had caught on quickly sent text messages to their offices. They were telling the offices that they need to block any articles that spoke negatively about Yoon Kwang Hun.

“The results are in Jun Hyuk’s music shown on the audition program. Within 2 years, Jun Hyuk is showing skills in playing instruments, composition, and arrangement that even experts recognize.”

Baek Seung Ho got a glimpse of Yoon Kwang Hun and spoke again,

 

“Oh right, Korean and English. Yoon Kwang Hun taught him himself along with how to read and write music scores.”

The reporters typed faster and the cameras did not stop flashing.

“I would like to ask how many parents there are in Korea who are willing to invest over $100,000 in their children while going in debt.”

When Baek Seung Ho gave the sign, the lights of the conference room flickered on and it became bright again.

“He took in a child who isn’t related to him in anyway off the street and helped him become an impressive musician. Doesn’t it fall short to reward him? Everyone has been accusing such a man of being a villainous thief.”

The sound of the reporters typing stopped. Baek Seung Ho stopped talking and kept the silence. He was giving them time to think of how serious the rumors they had spread were.

“Now, any reporter who thinks they have the right to ask these two people questions can ask now.”

None of the reporters tried to ask questions. The silence continued before someone finally spoke,

“I would like to ask Jun Hyuk, how do you feel right now?”

It was a cable reporter who had not made a big issue out of the news because it was a cable broadcasting station. Jun Hyuk took the mic and took a deep breath to calm his anger,

“How do you think I feel?”

The reporter was surprised by Jun Hyuk’s unexpected response, but did not show it.

“Jun Hyuk. Please tell us how you feel instead of asking us.”

“How would you feel if your parents were getting cursed out by the world? Does it make sense to ask that question?”

“Jun Hyuk, calm down. This isn’t a place for us to let out our anger.”

Yoon Kwang Hun held Jun Hyuk’s hand, nervous that he would jump out of his seat in anger.

“This is a question for Yoon Kwang Hun. Why did you disappear instead of explaining the situation?”

The reporter had continued questioning. Yoon Kwang Hun who had been trying to calm Jun Hyuk down became angry as well,

“Why did you people write articles without checking the truth? I saw that articles came up within 2 hours after the first broadcast with Jun Hyuk aired. It was late at night. What was so urgent? Explain? Isn’t it right for you to explain why you put out articles without checking the facts in the first place?”

Yoon Kwang Hun felt Jun Hyuk’s he was holding tighten.

“I think you’re the one who needs to calm down.”

Jun Hyuk smiled brightly at Yoon Kwang Hun. The reporters who saw this could not ask questions any longer. Their smiles answered everything. The broadcast station’s camera zoomed in on their faces. This was the best scene from today’s press conference.

Just then, the question that all of the reporters wanted to ask came up,

“Are you preparing for a lawsuit with the last article?”

Baek Seung Ho took the mic as if he had been waiting for the question,

“We have not made the decision yet. Peace will decide after consulting with them both. We will end the press conference here. Thank you.”

The three men left the flashing behind them and came out of the conference room.


	61. Chapter 61

Volume 2 / Chapter 61

TL: LightNovelCafe

Yoon Kwang Hun and Baek Seung Ho talked about the days when they were close as they drank in a hotel room.

“Is that true? Our boss was that successful?”

Jun Hyuk was repeating the same question in disbelief as he ate the food they had ordered as room service.

“Yeah. Kwang Hun was the king of Yeouido. Everyone knew who he was.”

“Hey kid. You didn’t believe me all this time? Wow… I feel betrayed…..”

“Well… who would believe it? It doesn’t make sense that someone who used to move hundreds of thousands of dollars and made over a million is running a cafe that doesn’t even do very well.”

 

‘Back in the day…..’ Of the adults who said that they had been really great back in the day, he had never seen someone who really had been. Jun Hyuk had not believed anything Yoon Kwang Hun had said.

“But sir, were you really going to send me abroad?”

Jun Hyuk had heard that Yoon Kwang Hun and Professor Go Sae Won were looking into famous schools abroad where he could study for the first time at the press conference. He was grateful, but a little sad.

“Oh, I didn’t tell you. Nothing is decided yet. We were just looking into it. Why? You don’t want to study abroad?”

“I don’t know. I do want to go, but it’s scary… and I also get the feeling that I just want to lock myself in a recording studio and make music.”

Baek Seung Ho who was drunk at this point, emptied his glass and spoke,

 

“Oh right. I was curious about that too. What is he going to study when you say he’s like Mozart? Shouldn’t he just go straight to releasing his music with a debut? I thought you said music was just spilling out of his head. What more can he learn?”

“You’re so ignorant. You don’t think Mozart learned the theories of music? Mozart’s father, Leopold Mozart, was a famous piano teacher in Salzburg. Do you know how many books he wrote on music? Mozart was home schooled on music from an impressive teacher from birth.”

Yoon Kwang Hun was also drunk,

“Jun Hyuk’s lacking theory the most. He needs to know the theories to get the notes of the music spilling out of his head more elaborately so he can make music. No genius can make music without knowing the theories. I’m sure understanding it will be quick.”

“That’s not it. Isn’t a genius someone whose music is naturally made to the theories? What are you going to do if learning the theories messes up Jun Hyuk’s talent?”

 

The two men kept speaking their opinions. To Jun Hyuk, this just looked like a drunk banter.

Adults fought over useless things when they drank too much. He did feel good that there were now two adults who worried about his future.

While their voices grew louder, Jun Hyuk was lost in thought.

Did he need to learn theory? Would the music in his head become more stylish if he learned the theories?

No. Good music, stylish music, what could this be? What was Teacher Jo Hyung Joong’s method to making stylish music?

These thoughts kept coming up in Jun Hyuk’s mind without rest.

Baek Seung Ho yelled loudly as if trying to interfere with Jun Hyuk’s thoughts,

“Stop! Turn on the TV. The broadcast is going to start.”

Jun Hyuk bolted up and when he turned on the TV, ‘Tomorrow’s Star’ was about to start. Since it was still about the area preliminaries, Jun Hyuk should not be making an appearance.

However, to raise viewer ratings, the broadcast started with highlights from Jun Hyuk and Yoon Kwang Hun’s press conference. After that, they showed scenes of Jun Hyuk’s area preliminary auditions that had not come out on broadcast before.

They showed the guitar version of Jung Tae Chun’s ‘Poet’s Town’ that Jun Hyuk had arranged on the spot along with the surprised faces of the judges. For a broadcast that only aired for 1 hour, it could have been seen as a special on Jun Hyuk because all of the clips regarding him added up to 15 minutes.

 

“I have to admit the people at the broadcasting station are fast. When do you think they prepared all of this?”

The 10% viewer rating that Baek Seung Ho promised may have been incorrect, but it was definitely twice the rating of last episode.

Baek Seung Ho who had been drunkenly cursing the broadcasting station stood up shakily. When he went home, Yoon Kwang Hun and Jun Hyuk became quiet.

“Jun Hyuk.”

“Yes.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“What? No, it’s nothing. Just.”

“Don’t worry too much. You don’t have to study abroad if you don’t want to.”

Yoon Kwang Hun knew that Jun Hyuk had become much more quiet when talk of studying abroad came up.

“It’s not that I don’t want to. I don’t know.”

Yoon Kwang Hun pat Jun Hyuk’s shoulder gently like a father and teacher,

“Then just do what you want. If you decide later that you want to study, you can do it then. You’re only 17. It’s not too late even if you decide to study 10 years later.”

 

“The thing is… I don’t know what I want to do right now.”

Yoon Kwang Hun knew better what Jun Hyuk wanted to do now. Make music. He wanted to make the melodies in his head into concrete sound. That was all.

When Jun Hyuk said he did not know, it probably meant that he did not know what he needed to do to prepare for his future.

He had said that making music on the audition program was fun. Is it not definite that he is enjoying himself because he can hear the melodies in his head with his own ears?

“Everyone is like that at your age. The kids who are in high school, studying for college entrance exams are just studying to go to college. They choose their schools and majors according to their exam scores. You’re much better off compared to them. It’s already decided what you’re going to do.”

Jun Hyuk could not believe that he was better off than other kids his age because he had never even attended school.

“Most kids just choose to be a lawyer or doctor to make a lot of money because they’re smart. I was like that too. When I was going to school, economics major was really popular because it was easy to get hired at a large company. That’s why I just decided to do it.”

“What did you really want to do?”

“Honestly, I still don’t know.”

“What? You still don’t know? Geez.”

17 year old Jun Hyuk was having trouble believing that a man over 40 had gone through life without knowing what he wanted to do.

“It’s like that since I didn’t know until college that I would become a stockbroker. When I graduated, I just found employment at a financial firm that would pay me a lot. When I was working, I saw that people with MBAs were paid much more than I was, so I quit and went to study abroad. That’s how it progressed. I just fell into the excitement of making money later. After I lost everything… I started this cafe thinking I’ll just live while listening to music.”

This was something difficult for young Jun Hyuk to understand. There weren’t very many people in the world who did what they wanted to do. No, it was rare for people to even know what exactly they wanted to do.

“But I have a dream now.”

“A dream?”

“Yeah, you know what it is?”

“What is it? Is it… me?”

“Yeah. I want to make it so that your music doesn’t stop as the world makes a full turn. So for the 365 days in a year, your music is playing from somewhere at any time. It doesn’t matter if it’s classic or pop since there will be someone to listen to it.”

Jun Hyuk spent the entire night talking to Yoon Kwang Hun about the future and dreams as such, and went back to the dormitory.


	62. Chapter 62

Volume 2 / Chapter 62

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Have you modified the contract?”

“Yes. Since Producer Kim agreed to the win-win strategy, we decided to be satisfied with the 10% as well.”

Baek Seung Ho who had come to irritate him early in the morning was smiling.

“You talked big, but we didn’t reach over 10%.”

“Well, I was surprised too. I thought it was a popular audition program, but the average viewer rating only reached 2%. I thought it would be at least 5% and was saying that it would be doubled.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik’s expression toward a Baek Seung Ho who was making fun of the program’s low viewer ratings was not amicable.

 

“4% is still double your ordinary viewer rating, and it was 6% at the parts with Jun Hyuk. Isn’t this proof that our offer isn’t that bad?”

This information had not been updated on the portal broadcast program yet. Only the broadcasting station knew the viewer ratings. How did Baek Seung Ho know?

“Don’t be too surprised, Producer Kim. The director of Peace pestered the director of MV channel this morning to find out the viewer ratings. The president of MV channel must have had to get up early this morning even though he’s a late sleeper. Didn’t he get into work early today?”

The president? Producer Kim Ki Sik remembered that Peace was the best law firm in the country.

“I guess our director knows the director of Peace well?”

Producer Kim Ki Sik’s voice suddenly became careful.

 

“Of course. A while ago, your director… Oh right. I can’t tell you this. We need to maintain confidentiality between the lawyer and client. Basically, our Peace once saved your director who was in a very uncomfortable situation. Since then, the two directors have been very close. Oh, and our director is older.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik thought he was in a cold sweat again. It felt like his life was being shortened by 10 years every time this lawyer showed up.

“So our director must know all about this situation with Jun Hyuk.”

“Of course. He has a lot of interest in it.”

The director is interested in a lawsuit between a press office and Peace? He had the thought that there could be failure where the sparks were.

“Producer Kim, what are you thinking about?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. But why have you come to meet me? Isn’t everything settled if you’ve modified the contract?”

“Oy, do you think I’m here to hang out? I came to give you information.”

“Information?”

“Yes. This week is the start of Star Week broadcasts, right?”

“Yes.”

“You’ll have to increase Jun Hyuk’s air time. On the day of the broadcast, we’re going to put on a big show.”

“A show?”

“Yes. We have four boxes of captures of the false rumors the press spread and the malicious comments people left online that we’ve gathered. We’re going to take all of this and go to the prosecutor to sue them for defamation. Won’t the viewer ratings go up again if it gets noisy?”

“This… Do I have to say thank you for this?”

“I’m not saying this to hear a thank you. I’m just letting you know for when you’re editing the show. I’ll be going then.”

Baek Seung Ho who had nodded his goodbye turned around as though he had forgotten something,

“Oh right, do you know Dine Music?”

“Excuse me? Di… Dine Music? Of course I know them. They’re a fairly large-scale agency. But why are you suddenly asking about Dine?”

“If what our investigators found out is correct, it seems Dine made the request to the press offices to take Jun Hyuk. We’re thinking of submitting this information from our investigation to prosecution as well.”

 

Baek Seung Ho pretended that he did not notice Producer Kim Ki Sik’s surprised face and left the office. Since he had thrown the stone, there would be a wave.

***

Producer Kim Ki Sik sprinted to the Director’s office. Once Peace had mentioned Dine Music, they could not wait much longer.

“Director, this could be bad for us if the problem becomes bigger.”

“You worry too much, man. You just worry about the viewer ratings. What would you have done if we didn’t have Jun Hyuk?”

“Director!”

The director of the entertainment station seemed to be calm even after hearing the overturning news.

“Hey, are you the president of Dine Music? Did you convince Dine Music to try to take Jun Hyuk? Did you spread the content for the articles? Dine did all of that. And… that law firm is just filing a lawsuit against the press office. What’s the issue?”

“Don’t you think that’s why they’re being like this? If a rumor spreads that the source of the articles was us…..”

“Our name will never come up. No, Dine Music’s name won’t even come up. You don’t know why? Even if it’s a press office releasing tabloids, how can they say that they received money to write articles?”

The internet press office would claim the confidentiality statement and protect the source until the end in the spirit of a reporter. Instead, Dine Music and its artists would suffer the malicious articles that result. Dine Music would have to compensate the press office for everything, whatever that would be.

 

“Is that Baek Seung Ho a policeman? A prosecutor? You think he’s doing this because he wants to catch the bad guys? That man is a lawyer. Lawyers hate standing in front of a judge in the court most. You know how bothersome a lawsuit is?”

“Then?”

“He’s just throwing us a bone. He’s just letting it slip that they’re going to sue and prosecute Dine Music soon. Then Dine will tell the press office… and if the press office is embarrassed that they wrote articles without checking facts, they’ll try to come to an agreement. If the media outlets that are the subjects of the lawsuit give them enough money, it’ll all be over. Lawyers are asking for money, not justice. Lawyers find justice with money.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik finally realized the situation. All the lawyer had to do was let it slip that they were going to start a lawsuit. But he had also unnecessarily said that he knew the director of their broadcasting station well, so that he would be surprised.

His goal was to make them discuss these issues with Dine Music. Producer Kim felt once again that the director had not gotten to his position on a gamble. He knew the flow of this issue too well. This could not have happened once or twice.

“Let it slip to Dine Music like the lawyer wants. Let them figure out with money amongst themselves. And you just worry about the viewer ratings. When is Jun Hyuk coming out until?”

“He’s coming out three times.”

“Watch the ratings and eliminate him. Keep advancing him if the ratings are good.”

“He’s going to make the first live stage really well. We’re going to watch that and make our decision.”

“Alright, let’s do it right this time. Do you know how much it costs to take care of all three meals in the countryside with these viewer ratings? We spend way too much money and the viewer ratings are only ⅓. There’s talk saying that we should get rid of this. Let’s work hard.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik was embarrassed that he had made such a big deal for no reason. There was one thing he had gotten out of it though. He had basically gotten permission to do with Jun Hyuk as he pleased.


	63. Chapter 63

Volume 2 / Chapter 63

TL: LightNovelCafe

In the two days that Jun Hyuk had been away, Kwak Hye Sung and Nam Seung Hee had finished recording their first mission song. Jo Hyung Joong’s studio was in the midst of mastering the track for release.

“Jun Hyuk, you’re here? You had a rough time?”

“No, I’m okay.”

The smile did not disappear from Jo Hyung Joong’s face as he welcomed Jun Hyuk.

“Well, things like this happen in life. Let it all go if it’s been taken care of.”

“Yes.”

Jo Hyung Joong spoke with a backpack over his shoulder.

“Sorry to do this as soon as you get here, but let’s go out. We need to work from another place.”

“Where are we going?”

“To record the 16 instrument orchestra. We don’t have a recording booth large enough to fit 16 people.”

“There’s a booth that fits 16 people?”

“Yeah. There are places abroad that are large enough to fit entire orchestras. The studio we’re going to now can fit around 20 people. They usually record movie OSTs there.”

Orchestral accompaniments are usually recorded once the MIDI operations are completed and each instrument is recorded separately. One violinist played the 1st and 2nd violin. They did not play together to record, but played separately and combined the tracks.

 

However, there were times when everyone recorded together in order to express the full emotion. The disadvantage was that as there were more people playing, they needed to keep replaying the piece if anyone made a mistake. Therefore, the cost and time made it common to record by track.

A recording studio in Gangnam had a booth that looked like a compact concert hall as if showing that it was used for recording tracks in movies. The 16 performers were already tuning their instruments in the studio.

“Teacher Jo, let us know whenever there’s something you don’t like. Aren’t we just instruments that are part of this music?”

The senior violinist who was the Concertmaster exchanged greetings with Jo Hyung Joong with humility. Though their fields were different, Jo Hyung Joong was an overwhelming presence as a producer in popular music. Jo Hyung Joong was not someone to underestimate even in the world of classical.

 

“You’re too kind. Is there anything for me to touch? I’m sure something like this will be easy for you. And this is Jun Hyuk, the pianist and arranger.”

The Concertmaster was surprised when he heard that Jun Hyuk was the arranger and pianist. This was the person who had made news on broadcast and online this week. He assumed that he would be good on the piano, but did not think that he would be able to arrange music.

“Oh, this is him. I thought he would be shy because the MIDI file I received was light… but his image is so different.”

Jun Hyuk’s image was so different from that of ordinary arrangers who locked themselves in the recording studio and wrestled with the master keyboard.

“Good, good. His looks are good and his music is as good as his looks. Ha ha.”

 

The Concertmaster laughed for a bit and took his place to start playing.

“Who is going to command?”

“That man just now is going to do it.”

“He’s just a violinist.”

“Yeah. Since the song is short and simple… the senior violinist usually takes the lead. There isn’t someone to command.”

Jun Hyuk’s face turned dark at Jo Hyung Joong’s explanation.

“I see. This song is easy to lose the timing in without a commander… I guess they’re really skillful performers?”

“Of course we brought in A class people. They’re performers of Fine Philharmonic. They’re fairly famous. It’ll be fine.”

The performers who had been facing the two people saw the Concertmaster nod lightly to them to send them a signal as he began to move his bow with power.

When the elaborate stringed instruments started and the introduction ended with 2 verses as though fireworks had gone off, Jun Hyuk got up from his seat.

“Teacher, let’s go. I think it’ll be better to do the MIDI operations and make the orchestra parts with the equipment.”

“What? Why… Why do you say that?”

Jo Hyung Joong stuttered as he looked up at Jun Hyuk in surprise.

“What can we expect from performers who can’t even read the scores? I don’t need to hear anymore.”

The performers who had been watching Jun Hyuk’s actions and words, stopped playing. Their faces were more distorted than the surprised face of Jo Hyung Joong.

“Hey! Hold on. What did you just say?”

The Concertmaster could not hold back any longer and yelled while the rest of the performers looked on in disbelief. They had never even heard such insulting words from the conductor. The machines are better? They could not read the score?

“You didn’t hear me? I said that you can’t even read the score properly. Did you hear me well this time?”

They could not believe Jun Hyuk who was yelling with a frown. No arranger made a judgment after just two verses no matter how the music did not come out the way they had intended.

They could not just stand back and watch if he was just copying a maestro he had seen in a movie or drama.

There were a few performers who had left their seats, and the Concertmaster came storming at Jun Hyuk with his violin.

“There there, let’s all calm down. Since Jun Hyuk arranged this song, let’s listen to his opinion first. Jun Hyuk, you have to explain carefully. It’s rude if you act like this all of a sudden.”

Jo Hyung Joong grabbed Jun Hyuk’s wrist and blocked him from the Concertmaster. From the Concertmaster’s stance, it seemed like he might throw his fist. He needed to get out of this troublesome situation. It was social etiquette to respect each other when they were not friendly and had met for the first time.


	64. Chapter 64

Volume 2 / Chapter 64

TL: LightNovelCafe

“You’re looking down on it because it’s the theme song of an animated movie for kids and it’s pop music, right? Shin Hae Chul is the person who made an OST for a children’s animated movie with robots this grand. It’s not okay for you to underestimate him.”

Jun Hyuk looked angrier. He did not stand down and yelled at the Concertmaster.

“What are you saying we underestimated?”

“Are you this casual when you play Beethoven too? The first note of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 ‘Fate’ and this song are the same. Why did you take it out? Whether it’s classic or pop… everything has the same notes.”

Jo Hyung Joong blinked at Jun Hyuk’s words. He could not remember the first note of the symphony Fate.

 

The first verse of the famous Fate by Beethoven was not [bba baba bam~]. To be exact, it is [umbba baba bam~]. It started with 8 minutes of rest, or silence.

Two swordsmen hold their swords in a martial arts movie. Who will take out their sword first? The audience watches the scene with sweaty palms. This suspense. That is the role of the silence. With this silence that is like a divine move, the audience is able to feel both the suspense and openness at the same time.

Rest is also a note. The conductor and performers need to express this.

The ‘From the Sun to the Boy’ that Jun Hyuk had arranged starts with this silence as well. However, there was no suspense in the music the performers had just played.

 

It was difficult to find this suspense when listening to a CD. Before gramophones were invented, people needed to go to theaters to listen to Beethoven.

The music did not start when the conductor moved his baton vigorously from the podium. It started when the first movement stopped. Listening in person was grand because one could hear the music without missing anything like the 8 minute rest.

The Concertmaster realized why Jun Hyuk had insulted them saying that they could not read scores once he heard the words Beethoven’s Fate Symphony. For a moment, his face became warm.

He had come out today with the thought that he would just make some pocket change. He had been thinking that a 5 minute pop orchestral accompaniment would take about an hour.

 

Never in their dreams had they thought that there would a be a young kid who could detect their laid back state of minds. There were only 2 things left now. Should they ignore the kid’s words and run out? Or should they accept it and play the music?

The 15 performers were only watching the Concertmaster’s face. The choice was up to the leader.

The Concertmaster’s face was red and as he was biting his lower lip, he was hanging on to his self-esteem.

Eventually, the Concertmaster went back to his seat and sat down. He had decided to play the music properly. He needed to recover his insulted self-esteem.

The music started again with the suspense that the rest on the score indicated, and ended after about 5 minutes. The musicians must have been satisfied with their performance, because they looked pleased.

The 16 pairs of eyes that were directed toward Jun Hyuk were not looking at him as an arranger. How about that? Are you going to keep being arrogant? Jun Hyuk was taking in all of their pompous gazes. With this, even that arrogant child would have nothing to say.

However, there was something that the performers did not know. Jun Hyuk had only listened to the world’s best orchestras until now. If he had come out of an art high school and gone to a college for music, he would have grown up listening to other young people and would have experienced underdeveloped music.

Jun Hyuk had only been able to listen to CDs of the top orchestras in the world. He had even gone to watch live performances in person.

A hometown orchestra and not even the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra was not enough to satisfy Jun Hyuk’s highly trained ears.

Jo Hyung Joong turned to Jun Hyuk in curiosity is to what his judgment was,

“What do you think? Is this good enough?”

“I think it’ll be better if I just live in your studio starting today to work on it. Don’t you think 3 days will be enough?”

It was difficult to withstand this severe criticism a second time. There were even people who had already placed their instruments in the cases. They had lost the reason to keep listening to this child and his unfitting assessment.

 

“Teacher Jo, we can’t work like this either. Tell him to do it himself like he said. We have no intention to keep playing around with this nonsense.”

Jo Hyung Joong thought that the Concertmaster’s protest was legitimate and thought that this accompaniment was of high enough quality. He thought that he needed to appease the huffing Concertmaster and continue recording, but even this became impossible with Jun Hyuk’s screaming behind him.

“Pu ha ha. What did you say? Doesn’t make sense? Your performing makes less sense. Let’s say you can’t do anything about the fact that you have no talent, but doesn’t it means you only have the basics down if you don’t have concentration and can’t even understand what’s written down for you?”

“What? This little…..”

Jo Hyung Joong thought he was going to pass out. These performers had been difficult to schedule. He had to pay whether or not they recorded the song, and it was not a bad song no matter who heard it.

There was no performer who would comply just because demands were being made at them. It was the same for pop music session men.

If he were going to be this picky, they needed to have paid much more to hire top-class performers.

You get the music that you pay for.

Jun Hyuk’s continuing criticism made it so that the 16 performers could not shut their mouths.

“A senior violinist made four mistakes in a song that lasts only 5 minutes and 7 seconds, and the woodwinds couldn’t match each other’s timing six times. And lady on the oboe! Are you stupid? You have to put the music stand 20cm farther away. The sound is a mess because it bounces off the stand. You’re deaf if you can’t hear that. And…”

Jun Hyuk’s bitter words pointing out each of the mistakes that the 16 performers made continued. There were people who did not realize the mistakes that they had made.

When Jun Hyuk was finished with his criticisms, the sound of breathing could not even be heard in the room. There were a few people whose faces had turned red like the oboe player in her early 30s.


	65. Chapter 65

Volume 2 / Chapter 65

TL: LightNovelCafe

Jo Hyung Joong broke the silence. He shrugged as he spoke,

“I see. I’m sure you all will know better if what he is saying is true or false… I don’t know.”

The Concertmaster heard Jo Hyung Joong’s words as an insult as well.

“This is just the last check before recording, not a concert. I don’t hear this as anything but him trying to point out our faults. I admit that he has an ear for music, but you should have just brought the Berlin Philharmonic in if it was going to be like this.”

The Concertmaster had said something he should not have. He meant that there was nothing he could do about it because they were getting the talent they had paid for. This angered even Jo Hyung Joong.

 

“I can’t agree with that. If Jun Hyuk’s criticisms are correct, this isn’t a level of checking before recording. That means this is the first time you’re trying to play it… It upsets me more that you didn’t think of practicing it once when you knew today would be the day or recording.”

Jo Hyung Joong who had always been smiling had become angry. The 16 performers left the recording studio at his reproach. Some left out of embarrassment, some left out of anger.

Jo Hyung Joong scratched his head in the empty recording studio.

“This has become quite bothersome.”

“Sorry, teacher. It’s because of me…..”

“No, I can tell by looking at those people who had nothing to say that you’re right. It’s okay. It’s definite for someone working with music to demand perfection.”

Jo Hyung Joong had the thought that he would need to bring in the Seoul Philharmonic if he wanted to satisfy Jun Hyuk, but that was impossible. His sight seemed to dim at the thought that they would need to spend the next three or four days using the machines in the recording studio without sleep.

 

The phone call he received as soon as he got to the studio made him forget that they would not need to stay up all night.

After Jo Hyung Joong spoke on the phone for a while, he quickly called Producer Kim Ki Sik.

“Producer Kim, the first stage is MR, right? The backing band isn’t coming out?”

“Yes, the backing band is live from the top 5.”

“You know Jun Hyuk’s mission song, ‘From the Sun to the Boy’?”

Producer Kim Ki Sik had just been watching the video because the VJ had come running to him.

“You know we can’t work with the Fine Philharmonic you set us up with, right? Jun Hyuk didn’t like it and stopped it.”

“Yes, I heard from the VJ.”

The VJ had come running to him with news that he had filmed something great. Producer Kim had also wanted to shout in joy as he watched the video. The highlight was when the performers ran out with bright red faces.

Jun Hyuk had created a scene that could only be found in a drama. It was a reversal that made it so the money they would need to pay the performers was not going to waste.

 

They would need to cover the performers’ faces for confidentiality. He had picked up Jo Hyung Joong’s call while he had been happily thinking of how to edit the clip.

“The conductor just called to say that he will do it himself. He said that he’ll do it perfectly.”

“Really? That’s a surprise.”

“On the condition that they can perform live on the live broadcast.”

“What? On the live broadcast?”

“Yeah. He kept talking… but he just wants to get publicity for his orchestra since a local orchestra doesn’t have a name. He wants to go out on a national broadcast.”

It was difficult for a local orchestra to become well known unless the maestro was famous. There was no better publicity in a Korea where the place for classical was not big, than to go out on a broadcast.

There was even a case when a conductor of an OST with classical music had become famous overnight. Having a face or name go out on TV was better than any publicity money could buy.

“Ah…..”

“What do you think? Can you arrange it?”

“The picture looks good but… we might get feedback that we’re favoring him over the other kids.”

Going on the live stage meant that they were allowing for their faces and names to go on air. The drama in Producer Kim Ki Sik’s head became complete with the second reversal.

“The stage is a problem too. Is there enough space for 60 people?”

“Excuse me? 60 people?”

“Yeah, it’s the full orchestra. Ha ha.”

“We have to do it no matter what if it’s to that extent. Contact the conductor and let him know that it’s an okay. I’ll take care of the details with their representative.”

As Producer Kim Ki Sik got off the phone, he thought that though the conductor’s intention may be publicity, the opportunity was Jun Hyuk.

Jun Hyuk had the power to drag people in. He was like a powerful magnet. He thought that he himself might be getting pulled in to Jun Hyuk’s genius, but also could not stop thinking that Jun Hyuk may be more of a genius than he thought.

The episode two days ago had an average 4% viewer rating, while Jun Hyuk’s air time was 6%. Last year, the ratings had remained under 2% during the area preliminaries.

Was there a reason to eliminate this Jun Hyuk at the end of two or three performances? The average person is fascinated by genius. What would happen if they showed everything that Jun Hyuk is capable of?

Producer Kim Ki Sik wanted to go over how this season would go again. He could show a completely different side from the last four episodes. Producer Kim had another worry to add to his list.


	66. Chapter 66

Volume 2 / Chapter 66

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Lawyer. A lawyer from Daejung Law Firm has come looking for you. He said that he would like to meet with you…..”

“Daejung? What for?”

“He said he would like to tell you in person.”

“Really? Where is he?”

“I showed him to the meeting room for now.”

“Alright.”

Daejung is among the top 10 law firms of Korea. None of the lawsuits that Baek Seung Ho was currently working on involved Daejung. This must be in relation to a new lawsuit, and the only new lawsuit was that of Yoon Kwang Hun.

‘That Producer catches on quickly.’

A representative had come to take his offer on settling the case before going to court. Baek Seung Ho went to the meeting room, eager to meet the representative.

A familiar face was drinking coffee in the meeting room.

“Huh? Who is this? Lawyer Yoo.”

“You’ve been well? How long has it been? Has it been about… a year?”

Lawyer Yoo In Tae was two years Baek Seung Ho’s junior but since he was a year older, they spoke casually. They were not close friends, but had an appropriate relationship where they saw each other’s faces occasionally. It was the most comfortable distance to maintain in a professional relationship.

 

“You should have called before you came. You surprised me.”

“I thought of calling to meet somewhere outside too, but it’s official work.”

“Official work? What’s going on?”

When Baek Seung Ho slyly pretended he did not know, Lawyer Yoo scrounged his face as though his head hurt.

“It’s because of the reason why you’re getting so popular these days.”

“What? Are you talking about Jun Hyuk?”

“Stop. What show are you trying to put on when you know everything. I’m here because we took on that case.”

“Really? Where is it? It must be a big press office if they can get Daejung.”

 

A list of the biggest press offices passed through Baek Seung Ho’s head quickly.

“I got 8 press offices together. I thought you would find it bothersome to get everyone together, so I did it beforehand. You like it?”

“8 of them? Only Daejung.”

“You know we have pretty good business, it’s just our performance that falls short. Ha ha.”

Lawyer Yoo In Tae who was laughing casually began to speak comfortably,

“Lawyer Baek, let’s do it the easy way. Tell me what your conditions are.”

“First, what’s the extent of your authority? Do you have to report everything to your client?”

 

“I have to report it if it crosses the Maginot Line.”

“Don’t change the direction. How far is the Maginot Line.”

“Hey, Lawyer Baek! Isn’t it too much to ask to see the cards as soon as they’re dealt? Ha ha.”

After Jun Hyuk and Yoon Kwang Hun’s press conference, the internet had been on fire. Korean press offices had declined as tabloids and their dashboards had so many malicious comments that one outlet even shut down. After a week, it was quiet as though nothing had happened. It had already become a thing of the past.

If Peace’s lawsuit started here, they would be lighting the fire again. The press offices wanted to avoid this situation. Any lawsuit was the subject of press, but press offices should not become that subject.

“Since the ball is in your court, you throw it. Then we can decide if we’re going to avoid it or hit it. We’re in defense.”

“Okay. Give me the list of the press offices you’re representing. The amount we’re demanding is different for each outlet, so we need to check first.”

Yoo In Tae took a piece of paper out and threw it on the table. Baek Seung Ho called an employee in to take the paper and whispered something in his ear.

A short while later, the employee handed Baek Seung Ho a print out and quietly walked out. Baek Seung Ho looked over the sheet and passed it to Yoo In Tae.

Yoo In Tae fixed his glasses and read the paper carefully.

“Wow… this is… harsh.”

“Hey hey! You haven’t fixed your habit of starting off by saying something is harsh?”

“This amount of money is saying we should meet in court. You don’t want to settle? From what I recall, you don’t like going to court.”

 

“What are you talking about? There are times when I miss the smell of the court.”

Yoo In Tae realized that there may be a trap in the amount that Baek Seung Ho proposed from his smug face.

“You’re not assured you’ll win, are you? It’ll be hard to prove that the press offices did it deliberately.”

“You’re not asking what’s important.”

“What?”

“The grounds for that amount.”

Lawyer Yoo In Tae looked at the paper with the press offices and amounts and his eyes widened.

“Hey, Lawyer Baek. Are you asking them to hand this money over?”

Yoo In Tae and a lawyer on the team had stayed up all night reading all of the articles. They had separated the articles that would be judged as defamation and those that would not, to assign amounts before coming here.

However, their expectations had been completely passed. The compensation that Baek Seung Ho had proposed from each outlet was not the amount for articles, but more like their revenues.

“Only you, Lawyer Yoo. You think fast and catch on quickly, so there’s no reason for us to fight. Let’s work well together. Ha ha.”

The public opinion was that the press offices were the adversary. Jun Hyuk was gaining more popularity by the week. His popularity was at the point where the outlets that had released articles insulting Yoon Kwang Hun had no choice but to write about Jun Hyuk. If they went to court like this, there was no judge who could not keep the public opinion in mind.

 

Baek Seung Ho had demanded the cost of all of the advertisements that the outlets had gotten while writing articles about Yoon Kwang Hun. Since they had raised that money with false content, that money belonged to Yoon Kwang Hun. They had to give more money on top of that in the spirit of apologies.

They could not know the exact amounts of the advertisements, so they put together industry estimates. Yoo In Tae felt like he had been hit over the head.

If they wanted to show the judge how unjust this amount was, they would need to present the exact amount the press offices had made from advertisements. There was no way to show this injustice without showing what was going on behind the scenes.

“Lawyer Baek. You really think they made this much just from those articles? Do you know the unit price of advertisement clicks attached to those articles?”

“Why are you being like this? You know well yourself. I’m just demanding that much because I was told it’s the industry average. We’ll have to go through the outlets’ books if we want to be exact.”

It was as he had expected. If Baek Seung Ho wanted to do a tax audit, he was going to the heart of the press offices and their media repression. If this went to court and the account books of their profits were revealed, they might try to use that as evidence. The press offices would want to avoid this as well.

“This is too harsh. Isn’t this nothing more than Peace saying that they want to turn on the press offices?”

“That’s why you need to do well. What if we go to court and Daejung loses? Daejung will be alienated from the press offices as well. We’ll at least be making money. What about Daejung?”

If this case went to court, everyone would be at a disadvantage no matter who won. Regardless of the winner, the media outlets would need to reveal their books and the two law firms would be alienated from the press offices.

Even if they went to court, it would be a stalemate. If they ruled in favor of Peace, the press offices would retaliate. If they ruled in favor of Daejung, the public would retaliate. Judges would be hoping that this case gets settled before it reaches the court. Figuring everything out adequately and ending on friendly terms would make everyone happy.

“Lawyer Yoo. Stop thinking about it and show your cards. I showed you mine. How much do you think is possible?”

Baek Seung Ho had no intention to take this all the way to court. He just wanted to wrap it up with money like he had told Jun Hyuk he would do.

“Hold on. Let’s continue after I make a call.”

Lawyer Yoo In Tae took his phone and went outside the meeting room.

He spoke again once he came back into the meeting room more than 10 minutes later,

“To start, I reported it. Since we can’t just make a decision right away, I’ll go back to consult and come again tomorrow.”


	67. Chapter 67

Volume 2 / Chapter 67

TL: LightNovelCafe

Baek Seung Ho said something that made Yoo In Tae who was packing his bag, stop.

“Should I give you a present?”

“Present? What’s this about?”

“There’s something we’re proceeding with apart from the press offices. The malicious commenters.”

“Commenters? Oh, the people who left spiteful comments?”

“Yeah, the commenters and the people who swore on SNS.”

 

Yoo In Tae sat in his seat again. He had guessed what the gift was.

“You saw the Supreme Court decision not too long ago, right? When they got $5,000 from the people who wrote malicious comments on SNS.”

“Yeah, it was contempt?”

“We made a list. We got everyone including the people who personally called Yoon Kwang Hun, the people who sent text messages, malicious commenters, and SNS. There are over 300 people who did that more than once.”

There was no way out of it since there was even a Supreme Court ruling.

“You’re going to share some of that with us?”

“Up to half. What do you think?”

Half meant around 150 people. Even if they estimated $3,000 per person, it would be $450,000. What percentage would they make from the case? Yoo In Tae calculated that with the 40%, their fees would only be approaching $200,000.

“So? Are you asking us to convince the press offices?”

“Oh we can’t do that, we’re lawyers. He he.”

Baek Seung Ho’s laugh meant that they should hold hands.

“What’s the percentage?”

“Take 60%. Yoon Kwang Hun doesn’t care about the money. If we’re frank with the calculations, they’re not losing out on much because Jun Hyuk is already getting offers for CFs for his status as a national star.”

Yoo In Tae had seen Jun Hyuk on TV. Regardless of his musical talent, his looks were enough to make him a CF star.

 

The number of people in his fan cafe that had been created after the press conference also proved his salability. Peace who had taken on all of Jun Hyuk’s legal matters must feel as though it had caught a big fish.

“You know it becomes a problem if we just accept that, right?”

Everyone would be able to tell that the two law firms had joined hands since the press offices were not dumb.

“Just change the name to another place. Anyway, my present is up to here. I’ll just leave the rest to you.”

Yoo In Tae left the meeting room with busy thoughts. His mind was busy, but it was busy with good things. It seemed that all he had to do was to go back to the office and draw up a basic blueprint.

“Oh wait. One more thing.”

Yoo In Tae came back into the meeting room as though he had forgotten something.

“What is it?”

“There are no public apologies on the public media or internet. That side is saying that they won’t do anything that hurts their pride when they’re settling with money.”

“Of course. We don’t need an insincere apology either. Don’t you think a fat lump of money will help heal the wound?”

 

There was an understanding that something would work out in the gaze that the two lawyers shared.

***

Lawyer Baek Seung Ho sent polite memorandums to press offices excluding the 8 that Daejung Law Firm had taken on. Since the large media outlets were settling in good favor, the small outlets that have a hard time should also show their apologies. It said that Peace would not turn down the opportunity to go to court if they denied this offer.

There were over 2,000 internet outlets. It was not a number that Peace could handle even if they allocated all of their manpower to it. Baek Seung Ho had thrown the fishing line to over 30 places that were worth any money and thought that it was a success even if half took the bait.

He was proud that it was time to reap from all of the hard work they had put in till now.

Yoon Kwang Hun did not care about the compensation. He had said that he would be satisfied with a proper music studio in the cafe’s basement, and a studio with the best equipment and perfect soundproofing.

However, with the amount that they were expecting to reap, they could afford not just a studio, but three or four cafes in Misari.

Baek Seung Ho was satisfied that with this, he would have fulfilled a person’s duty to someone who had done so much for him in the past.

***

Since the issue with Jun Hyuk’s 1st mission song was taken care of, Jo Hyung Joong had to send Jun Hyuk back though it was unfortunate. The 2nd mission was songs by the judges. They only had 1 week to work on this.

“Jun Hyuk, you worked hard making music with me. You have to go to Yoon Jung Su now.”

 

“Excuse me? We haven’t finished recording the accompaniment…..”

“Ha ha. That went well. It’s a full orchestral accompaniment. No, it’s a concert. They’re going to perform with you on the live stage. They’re going to decorate the final stage. Of course, the conductor will be there as well.”

A full orchestra on the live stage? This was basically a concert and not a contest! Jo Hyung Joong was laughing with a pleased expression at Jun Hyuk’s face of disbelief.

“So we don’t need to record now. They’re going to record the live stage and launch the track. You’re going to meet them two days before the live broadcast to rehearse. There’s no need to worry about it now.”

“Then…..?”

“You have to prepare the 2nd stage. Seung Hee and Hye Sung should have already started prepared with other producers yesterday. Also, Jang Na Rae and Kwak Hye Sung are in your group. Seung Hee was assigned to Lee Eun Jin.”

Jun Hyuk bowed to Jo Hyung Joong. Jun Hyuk who had thought that of scores and performances as everything in music felt as though his eyes had been opened to a new world while working with Jo Hyung Joong. He was sincerely thankful to Jo Hyung Joong who had shown him even a little bit of this world.

“Thank you for everything, teacher. I learned a lot.”

“What are you talking about? If anyone learned, it was me. What did I do? I’m almost sorry that I didn’t do anything. And it’s not like we’ll never see each other again. We’ll see each other often going forward. If you don’t study abroad.”


	68. Chapter 68

Volume 2 / Chapter 68

TL: LightNovelCafe

It seemed Jo Hyung Joong had also watched the press conference from his mention of studying abroad.

“Ah, you saw it?”

“Of course. You thought I wouldn’t see it? You endured such a hard time well.”

Jo Hyung Joong’s hand that was holding Jun Hyuk’s as he pat his back was so warm that Jun Hyuk could feel that he had been sincerely concerned.

“I was able to forget because I was working on music with you. Thank you.”

Jo Hyung Joong did not forget the words he wanted to say before Jun Hyuk left,

 

“Also, if you do end up going abroad next year… let’s make music together before you leave. I wanted to work with you properly.”

“A record? How could I…..”

Jun Hyuk waved his hand as though it could not be, but his heart was beating fast.

“What are you talking about? I want to produce your debut album… Why? Do I fall short?”

“Oh, no. I wonder if I’m qualified to release an album.”

“What are you talking about? If you’re not qualified, no one in our country is. It’s okay if you don’t make money. It’s because I really want to make an album full of music at a high level.”

 

Making an album with my own music. Jun Hyuk’s heart beat faster when he imagined that a CD with his own music would stand with Yoon Kwang Hun’s thousands of CDs at the cafe.

“Teacher, I’ll come back once the broadcast is over. Thank you.”

Jun Hyuk could not let go of Jo Hyung Joong’s hand and expressed his gratefulness multiple times.

As soon as Jun Hyuk sadly left the studio, the assistant producer opened his mouth,

“Will Jun Hyuk really go to study abroad?”

“I’m sure he will. He’s good enough to play in bigger waters. And I think Jun Hyuk is already oriented to classic. No matter what music he’s working with, he makes classic his base. Eventually, I’m sure he’ll need to go abroad.”

The assistant producer lightly hit his forehead,

“What a waste.”

“What is?”

“Jun Hyuk said last time that he made dozens of pop songs. I wanted to see those all over this industry.”

“He said that the cafe owner didn’t throw any of them out and saved everything. They’ll come out one day, even if it’s not right now. And you think that kid will create a debut album with songs he made in the past? He’ll fill it with new songs.”

 

A producer did not know how a composer thought. The desire to use songs that were left for later disappears. It was in a creator’s mentality to want to create and release new works.

It is said that the Beatles recorded dozens of songs and chose the ones that would go in their album. Reportedly, the record label was always disappointed that there were so many good songs that got taken out.

When they were working on a new album however, they never used an old song no matter how good it was, and wrote new ones. As they recorded in this way, there could be 50 more Beatles albums with the songs that they did not use.

Even now, the record label fits one of these songs in whenever they release a best hits album. They are making an enormous amount of money on the legacy that the Beatles left behind.

“Oh right.”

Jo Hyung Joong suddenly remembered something while thinking of the scores that Jun Hyuk had.

“What is it?”

“The symphony. Where’s the score for the symphony Jun Hyuk brought?”

Jo Hyung Joong found the score in a corner of the messy recording studio and started to look over it quietly. When compared with Mozart, it was a symphony written by a 17 year old genius though 10 years late.

He read the score full of expectations, but put the score down after the third sheet.

 

The assistant producer who had been looking at the 2nd sheet started looking for a cigarette,

“This… What is this?”

“I’ll say. Is this music? No matter how much we say it’s the post-modern era, isn’t this just noise?”

In the music they had heard from Jun Hyuk so far, his specialty was his compositions filled with beautiful melody like Mozart. However, not only was this not a beautiful melody, but its irregular arrangement made it difficult to even read.

“Can we say that this irregular sound that’s like noise is music?”

“There’s already a work that makes noise into music. It’s John Cage’s .”

premiered on August 29, 1952 in New York’s Woodstock. had four bandmasters, and each bandmaster’s score was completely blank. There was only a Tacet accent (to rest without performing) written on the sheet. The performer sat in front of the piano and opened the cover of the piano. The time had been decided randomly so the 1st bandmaster was 33 seconds, the 2nd bandmaster was 2 minutes 40 seconds, and the 3rd bandmaster had two sets of 1 minute 20 seconds. After that, the performer shut the cover on the piano again.

As a result, the performer had just opened the piano and sat still for 4 minutes and 33 seconds before closing the piano again.

In this absurd performance, the bustling noise of youths was the music. Even if the performer and audience had been silence, there would be a sound in the concert hall.

The sound of this performance changed by the location. It was a work that could be changed in infinite ways. However, this song was still considered a challenge to the meaning of music.

“Using a philosophical topic like that happens just once. From the second time, it’s just noise. No one will recognize it.”

“Hm… What do we do…..”

Jo Hyung Joong scratched his head. He had promised Jun Huk that he would show the score to an expert in classical.

He needed to keep his promise. It was something he did not know. Jun Hyuk’s song could be avant garde, and receive great recognition.


	69. Chapter 69

Volume 2 / Chapter 69

TL: LightNovelCafe

Jun Hyuk who had returned to the dormitory could not sleep with the excitement that he would be performing with an orchestra. He had not thought that something like this would happen in the next 10 years, but the opportunity was right before him.

As he was sitting on the front yard, breathing in the cold fall wind and imagining the concert, Nam Seung Hee came next to him.

The staff had let them know what happened when Jun Hyuk left the dormitory for two days to take part in the press conference. Nam Seung Hee had wanted to say words of comfort or encouragement, but looking at his expression of happiness, she could not say it. She worked up the courage when she saw Jun Hyuk alone.

“It’s a relief that everything was resolved well.”

“Oh, yes.”

“Did you finish recording the 1st mission song?”

“No. They said I’ll be recording live during the broadcast. I’m going to Teacher Yoon Jung Su for the 2nd mission song tomorrow.”

Live recording? What kind of arrangement was it that they were doing a live recording? When she thought that it was Jun Hyuk who had broken all of the boundaries up until now, it was not anything to be surprised by.

“Oh, I see. I have senior Lee Eun Jin.”

“Did you hear my song in Teacher Jo Hyung Joong’s studio?”

“Yes. It seemed like most of the work on it was done.”

Nam Seung Hee swallowed and spoke carefully,

“What do you think?”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me sing. What do you think?”

“Hm… Honestly?”

“Yes. Completely honestly.”

“Your voice is like chalk dust.”

“Chalk dust?”

“Yes. It has a soft touch, but it’s a little stiff? Like that. That’s why I don’t think you fit well with songs that are light and youthful.”

“Wait. Can we just speak casually? It’s a little uncomfortable. We’ve even completed a mission together.”

“Then what do I call you?”

“Since I’m 21, I’m an older sister.”

“Alright. Then I’m not going to use formal speech anymore.”

“Huh? Oh, sure.”

She was more taken aback that he had used casual speech so suddenly, but felt good that they had become friendlier.

“Then you’re saying the song now isn’t that great?”

 

“That’s right. Hm… The violin and flute, what’s lighter?”

“Obviously the flute.”

“But what if you play a sad song with the flute? And play a light song with the violin? It doesn’t fit?”

“No. That fits too.”

“That’s why the violin and flute are good instruments. They can express any emotion. You’re honestly not a very good instrument. Your tone doesn’t work well with light songs.”

If a childlike voice with a thin and high pitch were to sing Kim Kwang Suk’s ‘Around Thirty,’ would that emotion be delivered to this kid? That is what a tone from birth is.

 

Nam Seung Hee’s face turned dark. She was not stupid. She could tell from Teacher Jo Hyung Joong’s attitude toward Jun Hyuk. She could tell that Jun Hyuk’s talent in hearing music was better than that of Teacher Jo Hyung Joong’s.

Everyone in the dormitory had been upended because Jun Hyuk had said Jang Na Rae would be the winner. It was possible that everyone wanted to ask Jun Hyuk what place they were in.

“I thought you were going to be honest with me? I can’t sing?”

“Hm… To say it simply, you’re not good enough to digest any genre of music. You need to choose one genre to focus on. Then, your singing skill will improve… and you can expand your area. But give up the hip hop you like.”

“Hip hop… isn’t it?”

She had been expecting it, but she wanted to cry when she heard that she should give it up. Jun Hyuk kept rubbing salt in the wound as if he had not noticed this,

“You can’t do hip hop just by mumbling quickly. A specialty genre… rock, rhythm and blues, hip hop – if you don’t understand the essence of these perfectly, you’re just imitating it.”

 

If rock spirit was the resistance and rebellion of the older generation, hip hop was started in late 1970s in New York’s Harlem to bring out the core of the harsh realities.

The word essence related to music came as a surprise to Nam Seung Hee. Someone who was only 17 years old was talking about the essence of music.

She had tried to understand the emotion in one song. And she had worried about the high notes and techniques to digest that song. But a teenager telling her to think seriously about a genre as a whole?

She thought she could tell why Teacher Jo Hyung Joong had judged Jun Hyuk so highly.

“If you really need to do it, tell your story. Don’t you think the power of hip hop is telling your own story like a confession?”

Jun Hyuk’s lips turned up slightly at the sight of a discouraged Nam Seung Hee. In times like this, it seemed like age was not important. She even seemed cute with her dropped shoulders.

“There’s a song I made that matches your tone… I asked Teacher Yoon Jung Su to write the lyrics. It’d be perfect if you sang that.”

Nam Seung Hee felt like her eyes had sparked open at Jun Hyuk’s words. A song that was made for her?

“What? You made it for me?”

“Yeah. I haven’t written the lyrics for it, but it’ll be perfect for your tone. Since the 1st mission is a free choice song, take a look at it and do it if you want to.”

“What kind of song is it?”

“It’s a slow ballad with a bright tone.”

“A slow ballad?”

“Yeah. Oh, I’m going to Teacher Yoon Jung Su tomorrow, so I’ll ask him. If he finished the lyrics, take a look. You don’t need to use it if you don’t like it.”

Nam Seung Hee thought about why Jun Hyuk would have made a song for her. She had never heard that Jun Hyuk had made a song for anyone.

 

At times embarrassing affection that Jun Hyuk had shown towards her had been burdensome. She had thought that it had been purposefully created by the production team.

She had ignored it until now, but not anymore. Nam Seung Hee was sure that Jun Hyuk liked her.

However, Nam Seung Hee had no way of knowing that the way in which Jun Hyuk liked girls was not like the way other average teenagers, no average boys did.

***

When Jun Hyuk entered the studio, Yoon Jung Su hugged him in welcome.

“I finally meet Jun Hyuk again. All of your problems outside are handled, right?”

“Yes. The lawyer told me not to worry about it because he’ll take care of it from now on.”

“Sure… You must have had a hard time. Now you have to focus on music?”

“Yes. That’s what I intend to do.”

Yoon Jung Su had fought with Lee Sung Chul to bring Jun Hyuk in. Lee Sung Chul had wanted to work with Jun Hyuk on his new album.

“Right. Can you turn off the camera for a moment? We have to talk about something very private.”

When Yoon Jung Su spoke to the VJ pushing a camera to his face, the VJ could guess what Yoon Jung Su was going to say. He was going to say something very realistic that could not be left documented. The VJ turned off the camera and went outside.

 

“Okay, you guys must know well by now, a broadcast moves the way a writer planned it out. It was part of the script that you guys came under my wing too. Jang Jun Hyuk, Jang Na Rae, Kwak Hye Sung. Why do you think this group was created?”

Everyone knew the reason, but Jang Na Rae and Kwak Hye Sung just looked at each other and could not answer.

“There’s the similarity that you don’t have agencies, right? My intention is to make it so you two can find agencies during the 1st and 2nd rounds. If you guys can’t show off your charm by the 2nd round, you might get eliminated.”

Jang Na Rae and Kwak Hye Sung’s faces became dark.

“Hey… Don’t look so discouraged. The fact that you made it to the finals means you’re already professionals. Regardless, you guys will be able to live off of singing. Of course, I’m sure Jun Hyuk doesn’t care?”

Yoon Jung Su took a glance at Jun Hyuk who had been standing with his head down, staring at the floor. Now, the whole nation knew that Jun Hyuk would be leaving to study abroad when this broadcast ended. Though he himself had not made a decision yet.

“Anyway, we’ll prepare well so agencies will look for you two. You need to convince me first, since I am also the president of an agency. If I can feel your charm, you’ll be contacted by other places. You guys can choose then.”

Yoon Jung Su handed over CDs he had prepared.

“There are about three songs in each of those CDs. Na Rae and Hye Sung, listen to them in the next room. Since the arrangements are nearly done and the guides are recorded, decide if there’s one that you like.”

When the two left, only Yoon Jung Su and Jun Hyuk were left.

“I saw the press conference too, but you’re going to study abroad?”

“It hasn’t been decided yet.”

While Yoon Jung Su had spoken with Jo Hyung Joong many times over the phone, he wanted to see how far Jun Hyuk’s potential went. There was already something that he and Jo Hyung Joong had agreed on. Producing would be by Jo Hyung Joong, composition would be Jun Hyuk, lyrics would be by himself, with various artists to make Jun Hyuk’s debut album.

Their intention was not to use Jun Hyuk to make money. They had both made enough money until now.

They wanted to make an album equivalent to that of Wild Chrysanthemum who had been number one in Korea for 30 years now.

“Can I say something?”

“Yes.”

Jun Hyuk nodded.

“This is an issue of career. If you want to succeed in classical, you need to study abroad.”

“To learn theory?”

“Theory? Well, you can learn theory in Korea too. There aren’t just one or two professors who know theory well. And there are people who studied in our country who are recognized all over the world. The real important thing is people.”

“People?”

“Yeah. Music leaves my hand the second the melody in my head is moved to a score. After that, you have to work with a lot of people. If you study abroad, you’ll naturally meet those people.”

Jun Hyuk thought of Jo Hyung Joong. Even though it had only been for a month and it had not turned out well, he had also met the orchestra.

 

“One more thing. If you study abroad, I’m sure you’ll meet people who prepare the world as their stage? The more talented people are, the more they gather together. The people who are teaching you are already considered to be grand. As you meet with those people, you’ll share inspiration. That synergy is something tremendous.”

After Yoon Jung Su looked at Jun Hyuk’s face, he continued carefully,

“I highly recommend that you study abroad. If you go and hang out with people who are like you, the frustration you feel might disappear.”

Frustration. Jun Hyuk knew what this frustration Yoon Jung Su said was. It was when people looked at things in fascination when he thought of them as definite.

“I heard you told Hyung Joong that you would work on your debut album together before you go abroad?”

“Oh, that’s not it. We don’t know yet, so…..”

“Even if you go abroad, release an album once this broadcast is over. You have to leave something behind for it to become a memory. You try making a team. We’ll actively help you.”

We? Jun Hyuk was curious as to who the we Yoon Jung Su was referencing.

“Ah… We haven’t decided on a way to do it. We’re thinking of making your debut album really cool.”

Yoon Kwang Su turned the topic to the mission song as though he had finished what he needed to say.

“You don’t know any songs by me, right?”

“I think I’ve heard some but…..”

Yoon Jung Su heard Jun Hyuk’s tone without confidence and laughed as he handed over an MP3.

“I chose a few in advance. There are four, so choose the one that you like. Let’s start from there.”

Jun Hyuk listened to the four songs on repeat. There was only one reason why he listened to the songs a few times. He could not think of a version that was arranged.

No matter how much he changed the genre of the four songs, there was nothing he liked. Yoon Jung Su was the judge who had been friendliest to him. For Jun Hyuk, his songs were not that great.

‘Is it due to the lyrics…..’

The three elements to configuring a song: melody, rhythm, and chord. Among these three essential elements, there was no lyrics. In classical, these three were the ultimate.

Opera had lyrics, but it was usually the Italian that is unfamiliar to most. Mozart’s ‘Figaro’s Wedding’ broke the language barrier easily. Even lyrics in a different language that could not be understood were sweet.

The power of the melody and chime made it so even the singer’s voice sounded like an instrument with a beautiful sound.

In modern popular music however, the lyrics were what pulled the song along. It was as though the lyrics of a song were even securing the song itself.

The rap genre completely eliminated the melody and excited the listeners with just the lyrics and rhythm.

Yoon Jung Su’s music had the merit of putting everyday emotions into lyrics. These lyrics might be able to share these emotions with the average person, but to Jun Hyuk who had not experienced ‘everyday emotions,’ only words were being shared.

Jun Hyuk could not sympathize with Yoon Jung Su’s music at all.

Finally, he turned the MP3 player off and thought about how he would bring it up to Yoon Jung Su while he listened to Jang Na Rae practice in the other room.

It was the first time he was hearing Jang Na Rae sing since the preliminaries. He had heard that she recorded Lee So Ra’s song for the first song in the finals. This also meant that she had been accepted as a vocalist.

Jang Na Rae who was singing a song from Yoon Jung Su’s youth was enough to surprise even Yoon Jung Su.


	70. Chapter 70

Volume 2 / Chapter 70

TL: LightNovelCafe

Yoon Jung Su went towards Jun Hyuk who was listening to Jang Na Rae instead of the MP3 player.

“I heard you assessed Jang Na Rae as better than Jessica?”

“Who said that?”

“Hye Sung did. I heard you said Jang Na Rae would win?”

“If you look just at talent. But I heard the broadcast was already planned?”

“It’s not only like that. Broadcasts like upsets too. People love reversal dramas because they’re entertaining elements.”

 

A reversal drama with Jang Na Rae beating Jessica would not happen. A reversal drama was impossible unless the writers changed their script.

“That’s that, but why do you think that?”

“Jessica is a singing machine.”

Jun Hyuk settled it with two words.

“Isn’t a singing machine a compliment? Doesn’t it mean she sings that well without making any mistakes?”

Jun Hyuk shook his head,

“Jessica doesn’t become black just because she lived in America. R&B and soul is to black people what pansori is to Korean people. It’s impossible for people who aren’t black to express the essence of that music perfectly.”

“You’re saying there’s a lack of expression in the emotion?”

 

“No, I’m saying it’s impossible. Even if a black person lived in Korea for a long time and spoke Korean well, it would be weird if they tried to sing pansori.”

Jun Hyuk shook his head again as he repeated that Jessica was just imitating.

“Listen to a recording of Jessica singing R&B and soul. Honestly, the over exaggeration is severe.”

They could interpret over exaggeration as emotional excess, but Yoon Jung Su could fully understand Jun Hyuk’s evaluation of Jessica.

“Then what about Jang Na Rae?”

“Her level of understanding a song is no joke. And her tone is really good.”

“What does it mean that she understands songs?”

Normally, understanding a song meant expressing the emotions of lyrics well. He thought that Jun Hyuk’s words might have a different meaning.

“She changes every song to the emotion that she felt. Jang Na Rae has the ability to make a sad farewell song sound like she’s saying she’s relieved that the person is gone.”

 

“Does that mean the voice is overshadowing the lyrics? So you don’t even think about the lyrics?”

“Yes, that’s it. Oh, that’s a good way to say it. He he.”

Yoon Jung Su thought that Jun Hyuk’s evaluation of Jang Na Rae was a bit excessive. He was certain that she is good, but she was not as good as Jun Hyuk said. If Jun Hyuk’s assessment was right, a star was born.

Yoon Jung Su recalled Jo Hyung Joong’s words again to keep Jun Hyuk’s words in mind. If Jun Hyuk was right, Yoon Jung Su needed to scout Jang Na Rae right away.

After a moment of thought, Yoon Jung Su spoke,

“Jun Hyuk.”

“Yes.”

“You want to try taking lead?”

“Excuse me? Lead?”

“Yeah. Tell Jang Na Rae what she’s falling short on. It’s okay if you fix it for her too.”

“Oy, no. How could I do that……”

Yoon Jung Su did not mind Jun Hyuk and went to Jang Na Rae in the recording booth,

“Na Rae, what do you think? Would it be okay if Jun Hyuk did some directing?”

“Excuse me? Ah, yes. That’s okay.”

Jun Hyuk is the one who had singled her out as the winner, but she herself did not know the reason for that.

“Look, she said it’s okay. Try it.”

Yoon Jung Su pushed Jun Hyuk into the recording booth. Inside the booth, Jun Hyuk scratched his head and carefully wrote something on the score as he spoke,

“More calmly here… and go up on falsetto here since you don’t need to show that you can hit the high notes. And when you start here, go in half a beat late…..”

“Laid back?”

“Excuse me? Lay…? Well, anyway half a beat late. And don’t try to sing well. Try to sing the entire song a little more calmly. With the feeling that you’re telling someone else’s story to a friend, not your own.”

Even a very sad farewell story has a different meaning to each listener. Someone will sympathize and feel sad while another will not be able to and think that it is laughable to be so upset. Yet another person can feel that the farewell is a relief.

 

If a third party sings a song, the lyrics can change in any way. This is what Jun Hyuk meant by understanding a song.

Jang Na Rae saw Jun Hyuk who was standing so close to her she could almost touch his face, and felt her heart beat faster and her cheeks blush. Jun Hyuk’s words did not come into her head. There was only one word she remembered,

“Calmly?”

“Yes. You can’t over exaggerate the emotion. This seems like a song about a jerk who loved one girl too much… Forget about trying to deliver the emotions of the lyrics. Just think that you’re singing a rhyme, since the meaning of the lyrics don’t matter.”

Yoon Jung Su who was listening from outside almost passed out. Lyrics were not important? Those were lyrics he had written during his youth in heartbreak over a girl he had broken up with, but Jun Hyuk was telling Jang Na Rae to treat it like a rhyme. On top of that, a jerk!

When Jun Hyuk came out of the booth, he signaled with his hand to Yoon Jung Su who was sitting blankly.

“Try listening to it. She should be able to get it after singing it five or six times.”

Jang Na Rae could not pay attention to the lyrics even without Jun Hyuk’s urging. She was already busy trying to focus on the directing that Jun Hyuk had filled her score with.

Though she made mistakes where she missed the beat, but Jun Hyuk looked satisfied. If she practiced a little more, she would get used to the song and it would become more natural.

Jang Na Rae was still lacking the calm that Jun Hyuk had demanded, but the changes were starting to take shape.

 

Yoon Jung Su did not know that his sad ballad could become so colorful with adjustments in just the technique.

Musician Dittersdorf who had worked at the same time as Mozart was recognized as one of the best musicians along with Salieri. He had gone around bragging that not even Mozart could catch up to him. The introduction of his symphony in D major was configured with two tones that did not vary in height but only in length.

The song is so boring it is difficult to listen to. It continues without straying once from the audience’s expectations.

Mozart took this boring song and slightly changed it to use it as the introduction of his song. That is none other than the famous Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. He had clearly shown Dittersdorf the gap between them.

The ability to create a completely different and colorful song with a slight change. It seemed his song had been reborn completely differently with Jun Hyuk’s modifications. How could his music that had topped the charts have been so dull?

Yoon Jung Su thought that he was like Salieri. The color of the song had changed entirely with a little directing.

He had the thought that Jun Hyuk might not have pointed Jang Na Rae out as the winner because of her talent. It was because Jang Na Rae was the person who could best take in Jun Hyuk’s directing.

To think about it from the other end, Jessica was not qualified to take Jun Hyuk’s directing.

Yoon Jung Su realized why Jun Hyuk was called an arranging genius. He could arrange any song to its best in moments. The more surprising aspect was that he was able to get a grasp of a performer or singer’s talent and arrange the song to display their best.

When Jang Na Rae had sung Jun Hyuk’s version of the song for the 3rd time, he looked very pleased. It seemed it was almost at the level he desired.

His ballad that was like a sad wailing had become a colorful song with a few changes in technique. It was as though a sad violin solo had become an elaborate orchestra symphony.

Yoon Jung Su looked curiously at Jun Hyuk as he heard Jang na Rae’s completed song. He had recognized Jun Hyuk’s genius before Jo Hyung Joong did, but he had thought Jo Hyung Joong’s praises were exaggerated. However now, he realized that Jo Hyung Joong’s high praises had fallen short.

The other people in Yoon Jung Su’s studio looked at Jun Hyuk as if he were a monster. How could he change the singer and song’s color with just 5 minutes of directing?

 

Jun Hyuk felt uncomfortable with everyone looking at him. Was Yoon Jung Su not looking at him in the way he had expressed Jun Hyuk’s frustration before?

Yoon Jung Su who saw Jun Hyuk’s expression realized what was happening and quickly changed the mood,

“There there. You guys record Na Rae’s song. We’ll work on it again after we hear the recording. Na Rae, let’s go one more time.”

After Yoon Jung Su sent Na Rae the signal, he took Jun Hyuk and left. The two went to the roof of the studio and did not speak as they breathed in the cold air.

After a while, Yoon Jung Su opened his mouth. He did not look at Jun Hyuk but at the view from the roof as he spoke,

“This will happen more going forward. People will look at you as if you’re unique. Those looks will be full of adoration and jealousy. I was really jealous of your talent just now, too.”

Jun Hyuk quietly looked up at Yoon Jung Su, but Yoon Jung Su kept looking forward.

“You changed a song that I spent over a month pouring my feelings over into nothing in a matter of 5 minutes. No one will even pretend they’ve seen this kind of talent before.”

“Teacher, I just…”

“I’m not reproaching you, I’m in awe. You have to accept the burdensome gazes you receive as definites. It’s the attention given to stars. If that attention is gathered… it’ll be to the point where you won’t have a personal life. That’s what a star is and you’re already a star. That’s not because of your good looks and your height, but your musical talent.

Jun Hyuk did not understand what Yoon Jung Su was saying. His name was just starting to get known, and it was in gossip not music.

“Do you know how many calls Hyung Joong and I received? Over dozens. They’re calls from agencies asking me to talk about them to you. That’s even after the news that you’ll be studying abroad next year came out. There are dozens are companies that are dying to sign you on.”

Jun Hyuk was thinking that this talk about agencies are encumbrances. Music was made when musicians came together. He had fully realized while filming for the broadcast that agencies only thought of money.

“Just accept it and enjoy it. Think of the looks you get as looks of admiration. As you continue to make great music, the looks of admiration and jealousy will turn into respect. I can bet my life savings that you’ll become a respectable musician. Ha ha.”

 

Yoon Jung Su who laughed at his lame joke changed the subject,

“Okay, now should we talk about your mission song?”

Jun Hyuk could only scratch his head at the mention of mission.

“What? It’s hard to make a choice? This… well this is kind of embarrassing.”

“Ah… That’s because the songs you gave me are so unfamiliar. They’re so different from your songs that are well known.”

“Honestly, there’s a reason why I chose those songs.”

Yoon Jung Su had a wide smile as though he had something fun planned,

“Try making a dance song.”

“Excuse me? A dance song?”

Dance? Dance is the music Yoon Kwang Hun likes least. Of course he had almost never heard it.

“Hyung Joong suggested doing something fun. Your interest in machines grew while you were working with Hyung Joong?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t care about winning anyway, right? And it’s not a situation where you can last very long without singing. Since we prepare up to the 3rd round before the live broadcast, I’m sure it’ll end there. The broadcasting station is focusing on showing all of your genius.”

Yoon Jung Su continued on quickly when he saw Jun Hyuk’s uncomfortable face to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings,

“I’m not telling you to do this for the broadcast. Since you had producing in your DNA, it wouldn’t be bad to use this opportunity to try a new genre.”

“Mixing is important in dance music, but I don’t know the machines that well yet.”

“I’ll put two pressing birds on you, so try it out as much as you want.”

“Pressing bird? What’s that?”

“Um… You can think of it as a 2nd or assistant composer and arranger. If you hum the melody line, they’ll make the chord progression and melody on the master keyboard. And you know how they use a lot of electronic sound effects? Since it’s hard to write that in a score, you would just put it in on the spot.”

It was a scene that could be seen on broadcast often. A singer who is known to be capable of writing his own songs always has a composer sitting next to him while he’s working on his music in the recording studio. Though it seems like they’re composing together, unless the singer’s level is extremely high, the composer was completing most of the music. The singer only made a few verses of melody and the person who completed the whole song was the pressing bird, the composer. They are called pressing birds because they need to press on the master keyboard in countless ways until the song is complete.

“Ah, so you’re saying if I say I want the exhaust of a motorcycle as a sound effect, they would be able to insert it right away?”

“Right, they play that kind of role. And if it’s a person that does well, a collaboration is also possible.”

Jun Hyuk’s expression brightened as soon as he found out that he could insert any song he wanted to.

“Are you telling me to do electronic dance music?”

“Oh, you think fast. What do you think? You want to try it?”

“Um… But teacher, I don’t really like electronic.”

“Why? Is it because it’s at a lower level than classical?”

“No. What levels are there in music? I just get bored because it’s a repeat of the same simple rhythm.”

It was possible for someone who enjoyed listening to classical and jazz to think that electronic with EDM as its representative music is simple.

“Um… Jun Hyuk. Could it be that you don’t know that there are many uses for music?”

“Uses?”

“You only heard music in the cafe practice room?”

“Yes. Most of it… I watched TV occasionally.”

“There’s music like classical where you concentrate and enjoy it, and there’s music like jazz and the blues where the best way to listen is at a concert hall. But it’s hard to appreciate electronic that way.”

Yoon Jung Su could not help but smile at the thought that he was pushing Jun Hyuk into a new world.

Not all music needed to have the lifespan of 200 years like classical does. A song could show its worth just by staying alive for two or three months and giving people joy in that time.

Even the song that had shaken the world, Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style,’ was not played anywhere 3 years after.

“You’ll know better by experiencing it yourself than hearing it hundred times, right?”

“Excuse me?”

After Yoon Jung Su brought Jun Hyuk back to the recording studio, he called Jang Na Rae and Kwak Hye Sung who had been practicing.

“I’m sure you guys have been stressed while locked up, practicing.”

The two had inflated expectations at Yoon Jung Su’s soft expression. Were they going to have dinner together?

“I’ll relieve that stress for you today.”

Yoon Jung Su said something unbelievable after hesitating,

“When we’re done practicing, let’s go to a club. Oh, I won’t get in because I’m old, so go with the recording studio people. There’s a good place where they don’t film and the people don’t care about celebrities.”

Jang Na Rae just stared blankly while Kwak Hye Sung, who looked least likely to fit in at a club, cheered.


	71. Chapter 71

Volume 2 / Chapter 71

TL: LightNovelCafe

As they descended down the stairs to the club, the bass bumping through their bodies grew louder.

While they were sitting in an area on the 2nd floor, Kwak Hye Sung and Jang Na Rae were already moving to the music.

Jun Hyuk was already out of his mind. How could there be a place like this in the world? More than the music, the first thing that caught Jun Hyuk’s eye was the girls in promiscuous clothing, and the second thing was the way they moved.

There were women who moved lightly to seduce men, but there were more women who left their bodies to the simple beat and shook without a care. It was the same for the men. There were men who looked at the women more than they cared about the music and dancing, but there were also a lot of men who were dancing wildly.

Fast beat, a volume that could be felt with the entire body, the drunkenness that alcohol provides. All of this combined to make it hot in the club.

 

After drinking two or three beers, Kwak Hye Sung and Jang Na Rae could no longer stay seated and went into the dancing crowd. They also moved their bodies so they were inseparable from the crowd.

There was no other way to describe this spectacle than as a culture shock.

Music to Jun Hyuk meant there is a performer and an audience, the audience becomes immersed in the music that the performer delivers, and they cheer and applause in response to an excellent performance.

However, there was no performance in this place. It was just a DJ mixing with machines to make a fast bass beat.

There was no audience listening and enjoying it either. This was a place to leave your body to the music and move on instinct. Jun Hyuk also felt the primordial joy provided by the music. He could feel his shoulders moving to the music.

 

People here were moving to music like cavemen dancing to the sound of a simple drumming.

While Jun Hyuk was awed by the world of clubbing, Yoon Jung Su was having dinner with Son Jin Young.

“Take a look at this song.”

“Oh, you wrote a new song?”

“Don’t say anything and just look at it.”

Son Jin Young took the score from Yoon Jung Su and hummed to the notes.

“Hey, Jung Su! You wrote a really good one for the first time in a while! Are you giving it to me?”

 

“Why is a judge being like this? I want to hear your comments.”

“You don’t even need to look at the sabi. It’s good just from looking at the intro and verse. You really do find appreciation in emotional ballads.”

There was no insincerity in Son Jin Young’s evaluation. This had implemented a fresh ballad unlike songs these days that were sad ballads or dance songs with fast beats.

“I wrote the lyrics to this, but someone else composed it.”

“Who?”

“Guess. It’s someone we both know.”

“There aren’t just one or two people that we both know.”

“Ha ha. That’s true. Jun Hyuk wrote this song. I wrote the lyrics for a week.”

“Jun Hyuk? That or… rascal?”

Son Jin Young almost said orphan. There is a big difference between orphan and rascal. In the entertainment industry, rascal is not a slight.

“Yeah, and he said he made that song for Nam Seung Hee.”

“Nam Seung Hee? The Nam Seung Hee in our agency?”

Son Jin Young’s eyes widened at the mention of Nam Seung Hee.

“Yeah. He made the song to match her tone after he listened to her voice during the 2nd mission. In a day.”

 

How could he create a melody like this in a day? Son Jin Young stook out his tongue.

“But why did you write the lyrics?”

“Jun Hyuk doesn’t have the emotions to write lyrics of affection like this. It’s understandable when you think of the environment he grew up in.”

He had grown up in difficult conditions. No, it had been too shattering to be called difficult. How could a child like that have experienced emotions of love and farewell, that could be seen as a luxury?

Yoon Jung Su met eyes with Son Jin Young,

“What do you think?”

“Let me see. Will this fit well with Seung Hee?”

It was unnecessary to ask. Of course it fit well. However, it was far from the style and commodity that Son Jin Young was pursuing.

Son Jin Young used a thorough calculation to choose people to train.

Body proportions that would come out well on TV, the ability to show sexiness through dance – he chose each by the role they would play in a girl group.

To him, music is just a tool that can bring out sensuality. It is a time when music is no longer for the ear, but visual. Music worked to support an elaborate and sexy performance. It is now rare for artists to be able to make money with only their music.

 

He needs to make singers that the public wants to see. Singers that people only wanted to listen to did not make money.

It was the reality of Korean pop music that out of the overall sales that SN Entertainment, one of the largest agencies made, only 16% was from track sales and concerts. Now, music itself does not make money.

They needed to make money with the fees from drama, CF, entertainment program, and event appearances.

No event looked to hire a rookie singer with great vocals. There was always a line of events looking for pretty and sexy girl groups regardless of the music.

Even sign star Shin Ji, who is in a JSY girl group, became a star overnight after appearing in a popular movie. It was not music.

Due to these situations, it was understandable that Son Jin Young is hesitant at the mention of a ballad.

“If Nam Seung Hee doesn’t use this song, our singer is going to use it.”

At Yoon Jung Su’s words, Son Jin Young’s hand went up,

“Hang on. You’re sure Jun Hyuk wrote this song for Nam Seung Hee?”

“Yeah. He said it’s a gift for Nam Seung Hee. Producer Kim even recorded it. I’m pretty sure he’ll be editing that right now. He’s trying to make an atmosphere of the two as a couple.”

“A gift… This paints a pretty good picture.”

“You’re doing it again. I can hear the wheels turning in your head.”

Son Jin Young was better at business than he was at music. It was possible that he had already drawn up the whole picture in his head.

“Then it basically means that this song becomes Nam Seung Hee’s debut song…..”

“I’m sure it will.”

Nam Seung Hee was participating on the program to become known. What if she released her first single after the broadcast? The fees to market one debut song was tremendous. This could be an opportunity to save on that.

The program’s viewer ratings were rising steeply because of Jun Hyuk right now. If the first episode’s eye of the storm, Jun Hyuk were to play the piano as well, could there be better marketing than this?

With this, the calculation was complete and the picture had been drawn.

“Bro, let’s meet Producer Kim first.”

The two men left the half-eaten food and rushed to the broadcast station.


	72. Chapter 72

Volume 2 / Chapter 72

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Jin Young – Director Son, I mean. You’re asking for too much like this.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik could not believe it. He wants to release a first single on broadcast? Even though it’s a free choice song mission, this is too much.

It made him uncomfortable that these two had come to make an unreasonable demand when they were in a situation where they were already on edge.

“It’s not impossible. You’re not going to use Jun Hyuk when he’s the eye of the storm right now? What’s better than this?”

“The picture does come out if Jun Hyuk plays the piano. But right now, the picture is that this is a love serenade that Jun Hyuk is giving Nam Seung Hee. If this happens, Nam Seung Hee will have a million anti-fans as soon as she debuts. Is that okay?”

 

“It’s a thank you if she has a million anti-fans, no?”

Yoon Jung Su was bantering and Son Jin Young spoke with force to convince Producer Kim Ki Sik,

“It doesn’t matter. I have to give her the lowest score and Jung Su can’t give her a high score either. He’s the lyricist.”

Nam Seung Hee’s elimination after the first stage would be a catharsis for Jun Hyuk’s fans. She dared to approach ‘our Jun Hyuk’ and she fell flat. This was not a bad look either. This would be eaten up as a reversal drama.

“Good. I’ll okay it if Jun Hyuk plays the piano and Nam Seung Hee is eliminated. How are you going to take care of the revenue issue?”

Who was the producer to take 40% of the entire revenue was the only issue left now. Would it be MV channel? Or would JSY do it? The fact that Producer Kim Ki Sik was discussing the revenue issue meant that he was not going to budge.

 

“It’s a producer issue. There’s no problem if we do it as MV channel?”

With Son Jin Young’s acceptance, Nam Seung Hee’s first stage was completed. Producer Kim Ki Sik put in the last nail,

“Good. We need to get a definite answer from Jun Hyuk that Nam Seung Hee can use the song. Lastly, take care of the composition fees. If something goes wrong, my neck is on the line.”

Son Jin Young was not worried about Producer Kim Ki Sik’s concerns. The person who made the song said that he would give it to them, so there would not be a problem there. He could just pay out enough of the composer fees.

However, there are more occasions when things do not go as planned.

***

“How was it? Did you have fun yesterday?”

“Yes, teacher. For the first time in a while… All of my stress went away.”

“If I had gone to the club everyday instead of the gym, I would have lost 80kg by now.”

 

Jang Na Rae and Kwak Hye Sung had dark circles, but their expressions were bright. Yoon Jung Su wanted to know how Jun Hyuk felt. How had he taken it in?

“Jun Hyuk, what did you think? I heard you were sitting the whole time.”

“Ah, yes. Dancing for me is……”

“It’s too bad you’re still a minor and can’t drink. If you had a drink and got tipsy, you would have danced a lot too.”

He wished they had given Jun Hyuk a few drinks. If he had felt the great chemistry that comes from alcohol and a simple beat, he could make amazing music.

What Jun Hyuk needs most is not musical theory, but various experiences.

“Do you have any thought of trying it out? Or do you want to select a different song?”

“I understood why you gave me the four songs. Your intention was to do EDM from the start?”

“Ha ha. I got caught. That was Hyung Joong’s idea. We wanted to show a new stage and we wanted to see you in a genre that you wouldn’t normally touch. Of course the production team was all for it. It’s a first attempt, but we thought that it would be possible if it’s you.”

Yoon Jung Su examined Jun Hyuk’s expression. His expression already seemed positive.

“Then have you thought about which of my songs would be good as dance music?”

 

“I had the thought that it would be fun to combine the four songs.”

To sample from the four songs and combine them? Yoon Jung Su could not easily connect the four songs.

“What? Combine the four songs? Won’t the flow be interrupted?”

“No. I can make the four songs sound like one. It’ll flow naturally.”

He was always much further ahead. How did he think of mixing the four songs?

Yoon Jung Su’s expectations on how the EDM Jun Hyuk made would take shape were inflated.

“Jun Hyuk, can you talk to me for a minute?”

Yoon Jung Su took Jun Hyuk to a cafe nearby.

Yoon Jung Su ordered coffee and handed over a score,

“Do you want to take a look at this?”

The score Yoon Jung Su had handed over was the ballad Jun Hyuk made.

“This is what I made. Did you write all of the lyrics?”

“Yeah, take a look at the lyrics. The song is so good that the lyrics are bound to get overshadowed.”

 

There were refreshing lyrics to match the cool and fresh melody before him. The story was of a girl and boy who were each other’s first loves and were honestly confessing the feelings they had been hiding.

Jun Hyuk murmured the lyrics along to the melody and put the score down,

“Uh… goosebumps.”

“What? Ha ha. Goosebumps? Then it’s a success. A first love normally causes goosebumps.”

Jun Hyuk was surprised that Yoon Jung Su who is in his mid-40s could describe a lively first love. Jun Hyuk could not know if he is rich in emotion or good at observation, but it is indeed a talent that he can find something in flitting moments.

“What do you think? You like it? Or should I write it again?”

“No, I don’t know lyrics anyway. Didn’t you say it’s a success if I got goosebumps? Then that’s fine.”

Yoon Jung Su took a peek at his watch and waved toward the cafe entrance. Son Jin Young was coming in, waving his hand.

Son Jin Young motioned for an awkwardly standing Jun Hyuk to sit down, and settled down next to Yoon Jung Su.

“Sorry. I’m a little late, right?”

“It’s okay, we just got here too.”

As awkward laughter drifted over the coffee table, Son Jin Young opened his mouth,

“You know that song you made? The one you gifted to our Seung Hee?”

Son Jin Young put emphasis on the word ‘gift’.

“Ah, yes. You’re talking about this?”

Jun Hyuk gestured to the score he had put down.

“Yeah. We’re thinking of using that on the first stage of the finals. What do you think?”

“I don’t care. I already gave that song to Nam Seung Hee.”

 

“Great, thanks. And there’s one more thing… Can you play the piano on the stage?”

“Me? They do the accompaniment as an MR.”

“Yeah. We’re going to create the MR without the piano.”

“Yes, that’s fine. It’s not difficult or anything.”

The two men looked more comfortable when Jun Hyuk brushed it off. And Son Jin Young gave Yoon Jung Su a slight look. The more difficult something was to talk about, the better it was for someone more familiar to bring it up.

Yoon Jung Su lowered his tone and began to speak gently,

“Jun Hyuk, this is uncomfortable to talk about. We can’t forget to talk about things dealing with money.”

“Money?”

“Yeah, it’s the composition fee.”

“Oh, it’s something I made for fun… I guess that can be worth money.”

A song made for fun. It was something said without much thought, but it tugged at Yoon Jung Su’s heart. It was like a blade to criminals who had to crack down and suffer for several months to complete one song.

Son Jin Young began to speak cautiously again,

“Jun Hyuk. JSY will buy that song. The average composition fee for rookie composers is…”

“Teacher, give me one second.”

“Yeah.”

Jun Hyuk went to the coffee shop counter and brought a memo pad and pen.

“You can call this number for issues dealing with money.”

“Who’s this number?”

“It’s the company in charge of the proceedings right now. I’m not allowed to discuss money or contracts going forward.”

“By any chance, is this company Peace?”

“Oh, it is. Peace. Lawyer Baek Seung Ho is in charge.”

The two men just looked at each other and blinked. They had no intention of receiving Jun Hyuk’s song for free. They were thinking of giving him adequate fees for a rookie composer, but a lawyer?


	73. Chapter 73

Volume 2 / Chapter 73

TL: LightNovelCafe

Between the two, Yoon Jung Su was more surprised. The shock was great. Usually, lawyers did not get involved in this industry whether they gave the song first or they received the money to write a song. Since they were friendly, they trusted each other and paid an adequate amount.

If Jun Hyuk was already appointing lawyers, no singers or companies would want his songs no matter how good they were. They would all disregard him as a jerk who wanted money.

Jun Hyuk had not even made a proper debut in the entertainment industry, but he had created a firewall because of what he had experienced so far. It was regrettable.

Son Jin Young was already frowning. A brand new rookie who had been on broadcast once and had not even released a single was telling him to talk to a lawyer about money? And that was in the presence of a veteran senior. Jun Hyuk may have said it without much thought, but the person listening wanted to just give up the song.

 

However, they could not just overthrow everything when they had already convinced the main producer of the broadcast station. Son Jin Young grit his teeth and took the memo with the lawyer’s phone number.

“Alright, I’ll take care of this. Jung Su, I’m a little busy. I’ll get up first. Sorry.”

Yoon Jung Su could fully understand how Son Jin Young was feeling. He was already bearing through a lot just by suppressing his anger.

Jun Hyuk is not the only person with rights to this song, but also himself as the lyricist. There had been the prerequisite that the song was for Nam Seung Hee and he had written the lyrics accordingly. If something went amiss with the lawyer, he would become laughable.

However, Yoon Jung Su did not speak anymore. He thought that he must take time and slowly teach Jun Hyuk the rules and etiquette of this industry.

***

Lawyer Baek Seung Ho did not know that Jun Hyuk had written a song until he got a call from JSY. After quickly confirming, he met with the people coming to him with a contract.

“We are here from JSY. We’re here because of the song that Jang Jun Hyuk made…..”

 

“Oh, yes. I was waiting for you. But I haven’t heard the details relating to JSY.”

“I see. I guess you may not have heard because Jun Hyuk is living in the dormitory.”

The JSY legal team briefly described how Jun Hyuk wrote a song for Nam Seung Hee and that they were there to buy the song.

Baek Seung Ho reviewed the contract that JSY passed over.

“I see the composition fee is $5,000.”

“Yes. That’s the industry average amount.”

“I’ll have to discuss with Jun Hyuk, but do you know that Jun Hyuk left matters of money to my discretion?”

“Yes. That’s why we are sitting in front of you right now.”

 

This was the first time Baek Seung Ho was meeting with someone in regards to a song or composition fee, but it was also the first time JSY was meeting with a lawyer to acquire one song. It was custom for the musicians to settle these issues themselves to just send a contract back and forth.

“There is one thing I can tell you for sure. I don’t know what Jun Hyuk is thinking, but he will follow me if I say ‘no’.”

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say.”

“It’s simple. We won’t sell it at such a low price.”

“Whew…..”

This is why JSY did not like when lawyers got involved. They had a habit of unconditionally rejecting the first proposal. Lawyer made simple issues that could be settled in a friendly matter, difficult.

“Don’t look at it like that too much. We have good reasons for this.”

“Should we listen to those good reasons?”

“The key element of a transaction is not whether or not a poet wrote a song. The important thing is necessity. It’s a world where people pay $7,000 for a brand name handbag that doesn’t cost $50 to manufacture. Why? Because they need it. So don’t you think it’s a song that’s needed if a big company like JSY is trying to buy it for just $5,000? I want to sell it at an expensive price to someone who needs it.”

JSY was starting to dislike lawyers even more. Even though what they were saying made sense, they said it in a way that made the listeners feel unpleasant.

“We’ll sign this contract in a year.”

“Excuse me?”

It is over if he said that he would not sell it, but what did he mean by a year later?

“In one year, Jun Hyuk will probably be worth 10 times more. Bring back a new contract, or we’ll meet in a year.”

 

Baek Seung Ho knew that the value of goods changed the future. If they settled on $5,000 for Jun Hyuk now, he would be $5,000 even when he was worth 10 times more in the future.

The important fact was that no one yet knew Jun Hyuk’s worth. There was no idiot who would sell a diamond in its rough form without buffing it. They need to wait while sharpening and cleaning it to create its best appearance.

It was not even a situation where they were lacking money. It was not a time to hurry, but to wait until his elaborate and shining self appeared. Baek Seung Ho firmly believed that this was the best decision for Jun Hyuk.

JSY’s side that was not able to receive Jun Hyuk’s song took the contract and went back to the office. They needed to hurry up and let Director Son Jin Young know.

“Hey! I can’t believe it. The little brat is being arrogant because he gained a little popularity… Forget it. We don’t need it.”

Son Jin Young did not like Jun Hyuk or the ballad from the beginning. The answer was to go with a sexy performance as JSY usually does.

***

“Jung Su, we’re going to pretend the thing with Jun Hyuk’s song never happened. Honestly, I don’t even want to talk about it.”

Yoon Jung Su who had discerned Son Jin Young’s thoughts got off the phone and told Jun Hyuk.

“Jun Hyuk, have you heard the news?”

“Yes? What news?”

“The lawyer you mentioned said that he would not give the song to Nam Seung Hee. They said he asked for a lot of money.”

Yoon Jung Su was hesitant to talk about it, but he spoke cautiously.

“Did he?”

Unexpectedly, Jun Hyuk showed a dull reaction.

“Um… I don’t think Nam Seung Hee will be able to sing the song if it goes like this.”

“Well that’s fine. Someone else can sing it.”

“But you made that song for Seung Hee.”

“Not exactly. I just made the song because I liked her voice when she sang the jazz song I arranged.”

“It’s a song created for a voice and not a person?”

 

“Wow, you speak so well. A song created for a voice. I’ll have to keep this memorized.”

Yoon Jung Su saved his words as he looked at a Jun Hyuk who was smiling naively. He thought that there would be no need to explain about things like money, business, and industry fees to a child who was only just 17 years old. He comforted himself thinking that as someone with a right to the song, he could just push it back.

It was an old song. No matter when it was released, they could get the tribute for it.

“Alright. Then we’ll think about that song later and make the mission song now. I’ll put two producers I work with on you, so try making something really cool.”

“The pressing birds you talked about?”

“Ha ha. Yeah, pressing bird. But you can’t call them that to their faces. It’s a term that denigrates them.”

***

Jun Hyuk spent half a day using his cellphone and listening to a computer hard drive with a sound library full of sound effects. It was full of all the sounds in the world. It was to the point where he wondered what had not been included since there were even the sounds of people yawning and burping in different versions.

After half a day passed, Jun Hyuk abandoned his intention to listen to all of the sounds in the world. Eventually, he did not even get to listen to half and picked among the sound effects used often in the electronic line that the producer chose to listen to.

After the group of sound effects was compiled, Jun Hyuk and the two producers sat in front of a monitor that showed sounds from the master keyboard. The people at Jo Hyung Joong’s studio had already let them know that Jun Hyuk is a perfectionist. They had heard that he even detected the sound of an oboe bouncing off of a music stand.

If a kid with an ear like this had the ability to see soundwaves with his eyes, it was obvious that he would not look past even the smallest issues. The two producers already had a grim feeling that they may need to work for the next few days to complete the song.

“First off, do you have a separate track for the voice of the song Teacher Yoon chose?”

“Of course. Do you want it?”

“Yes. Please let me hear them in order.”

Jun Hyuk kept working on stretching and shortening the vocal tracks of the four songs. In more extreme cases, he did not hesitate to shorten it by three times. A producer threw him a question,

“But Jun Hyuk, you’re not going to sample it? What verse are you going to take out to use? Isn’t it easier to take out just that part to work with?”

 

“No, I’m not sampling it. I’m going to use all of it.”

“What? You’re going to use the whole song?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think you should do that. I’m pretty sure it’ll just be noisy once you mix the other four songs.”

“That’s why I’m matching the four songs. First, I’m going to hold the place and adjust the volume.”

After playing with the track for several hours, he had a satisfied expression.

“The vocal track is finished… and we have to put in the violin…..”

“Violin? You’re finished already? You finished the four songs?”

“Yes. Can you set this master keyboard to the violin?”

The producer did not get to listen to the entirety of the song that he finished. Fixing one part and listening again to edit again… Jun Hyuk was done in one go without working like this.

“But Jun Hyuk. You don’t need to listen to the work you did?”

“Why? I saw everything with my eyes.”

“You know by looking at the soundwaves?”

“Yes. I think it’s much more comfortable being able to see the sound with my eyes. This program is really good.”

The producers did not say more. They now thought that they would not need to have questions for Jun Hyuk any longer.

“You’re saying it’s like that. Um… oh, okay. You see these two dials? The one on top is the vibrato effect, and the bottom has the slide effect.”

“Okay. Then.”

Jun Hyuk pressed a few of the keys to test it out and laughed as though it was wondrous. It was because he was pressing the keyboard, but there was the sound of the violin.

“He he he. This is really fun.”

As he put both of his hands on the keyboard, he played the familiar Vivladi’s part 1 of Four Seasons Spring. After that, he played multiple classicals but did not play over 8 verses.

Soundtracks kept collecting on the monitor.

As he got used to using the master keyboard, his hands became faster. After the violin, he changed to the bass guitar and held the whole beat.

The producer who was listening next to him guessed that the beat was around 150BPM. It seemed a little slow, but there was no way to check because he could not listen to the whole song.

When Jun Hyuk finished the bass guitar, he stretched his arms and back and got up from his seat.

“Let’s start again after a break.”

“We haven’t done anything. You did everything yourself.”

“This is the real start.”

“What? Then what have you done ‘til now?”

“This is the combination for the bass sound. It’s the color tone that won’t be that noticeable. Now we need to work on the riff (key melody line), the drum that will point out the beat, and sound effects.”

They also passed out when they heard that everything he had done until now was just the background. The bigger problem was that Jun Hyuk had not once listened to the results of his hard work so far.

“Uh Jun Hyuk, we have to hear it first. I’m really curious too.”

“Ah, sorry. I thought you already knew because we worked on it together.”

“We’re not geniuses. We have no idea what any of this is just by looking at it. Ha ha.”

Jun Hyuk’s first electronic. Half with curiosity and half with expectations, Yoon Jung Su, Jang Na Rae, and Kwak Hye Sung came to listen to Jun Hyuk’s first piece together.


	74. Chapter 74

Volume 2 / Chapter 74

TL: LightNovelCafe

The four songs that Yoon Jung Su initially chose had similar flow and effect because they are all good to arrange as electronic dance music. Everyone listened carefully because they were curious to see how these four songs were completely combined and not sampled, even though they are similar.

The music flowed out once he pressed the play button. Everyone looked enchanted at the end of a song that did not even last 4 minutes. Except Yoon Jung Su.

Jun Hyuk’s mixed song did not sound anything like a dance song, but more like a grand choir. Because of the measures from well-known classicals that were scattered well here and there, it could almost be mistaken for a song that one already knew.

“Jun Hyuk. I think it’ll be hard even for a ballerina to dance to this song.”

 

Yoon Jung Su offered his opinion. He meant that no one could dance along to a choir chorus that had an almost solemn sentiment to it.

“Exactly. This is just the drawing paper. I’m going to draw a dance on this.”

“If you use this as a drawing paper, I think the traces of my song that you remake will disappear.”

“It’s a drawing paper. Drawing paper and paint. Paintings are completed with just these two, so it’ll take up half of it.”

Could he have smarts that he was born with? Or could it be that he becomes smart when music is involved? His descriptions were the best.

“Alright. I think it’ll be easier to just listen to the completed song. Ha ha.”

Yoon Jung Su came out of the studio and stopped by the cafe. He drank coffee alone as he thought about Jun Hyuk’s music he had just listened to. He had held back his admiration in the studio because there had been so many people.

‘Goodness. Fuga in a dance song.’

The main music fuga of the Baroque era is a complex machine with three parts (individual lines forming the melody and chords) as track, transition, and the length of notes stretched by two, reduced in half and before one part finishes, the next part plays in turn as stretta, changing in position, backing, et cetera.

Jun Hyuk had thought of the four original songs as parts and used the fuga technique to arrange them exquisitely.

 

It was surprising that he had thought to do this with four ordinary pop songs, but it’s proper implementation deserved to be admired even more. The feeling that it was vaguely elaborate and exquisite was because the technique was so complex.

His thoughts on Jun Hyuk were completely overturned. Did a Jun Hyuk who had already reached this state need to go study abroad? When he had the skills to apply complex techniques just by listening to classical music?

Could it not be that learning theory for Jun Hyuk means that he will just be learning the designated names?

Yoon Jung Su drank the rest of his coffee in one gulp and stood up. Getting too involved was not good. It could be unnecessary for him to be so concerned with Jun Hyuk’s future. No matter what path he chose, he was bound to be surrounded by people who are much more talented than Yoon Jung Su is.

 

When he returned to the studio after emptying his mind, he could not see Jang Na Rae. But Kwak Hye Sung was in the recording booth wearing headphones. It was obvious that he was nervous standing in front of the mic.

Kwak Hye Sung was nervous because he kept comparing himself to Jun Hyuk’s music and Jang Na Rae’s singing.

“What about Jang Na Rae? She’s done practicing?”

“Yes. It’s plenty. I think we can record the track tomorrow.”

“How about Jun Hyuk?”

“He went into that room to paint on his drawing paper.”

The sound engineer shook his head. Jun Hyuk’s concentration surpassed that of most professionals.

“How is Jang Na Rae’s song? Did it come out well?”

“Try listening to it later. It’s amazing.”

The sound engineer put this thumb up. This meant that Jang Na Rae had digested Jun Hyuk’s directing perfectly.

Yoon Jung Su spoke to Kwak Hye Sung who was nervous in the recording booth,

“Hye Sung, let’s do it lightly. It’s not a formal recording. As if you’re practicing. And don’t be too nervous, okay?”

 

Kwak Hye Sung’s song started, but the sound engineer was not really paying attention.

“Hey, aren’t you going to concentrate?”

“Oh, yes. Sorry.”

The sound engineer came to his senses once Yoon Jung Su hit the back of his head. There was no way for him to concentrate on Kwak Hye Sung’s boring song when he had just heard Jang Na Rae’s free and colorful music.

“This… This is a problem if Hye Sung comes on live broadcast after Jang Na Rae…..”

Yoon Jung Su responded to the sound engineer’s mumbling,

“What is it? Jang Na Rae was that good?”

“It’s no joke. Jang Na Rae is really something once she shows her potential. It’s like throwing a grenade where a bomb is going to fall if Hye Sung – no, anyone goes after Jang Na Rae.”

The sound engineer continued quickly,

“Scout her. I’m 100% sure someone else will take her once the 2nd stage goes on air.”

Kwak Hye Sung’s song ended as the two men were talking about something else.

“Uh, teacher. What did you think?”

“Huh? Oh… it’s okay. Should we take a break?”

Yoon Jung Su wanted to hurry up and hear Jang Na Rae’s song to see what the praise was all about.

He put on the headphones and listened to Jang Na Rae’s song. Yoon Jung Su forgot that Jun Hyuk had directed this song. Were Jang Na Rae’s vocals to this point? He could figure out why the sound engineer had put his thumb up.

 

It was a voice where one could feel that if there is only one moment’s opportunity, something hidden explodes.

Was Jang Na Rae 24 years old?

He had forgotten her age because a deep sound rang from her. Jun Hyuk had brought out this sound, just by telling her to sing calmly.

A few days passed with Kwak Hye Sung and Jang Na Rae practicing, and Jun Hyuk immersed in mixing.

Past 10pm, Jang Na Rae and Kwak Hye Sung went back to their dorm exhausted while Jun Hyuk had to be convinced to leave.

Once everyone left, the producer who had been working with Jun Hyuk brought Yoon Jung Su in front of the control box as though he had been waiting.

“Jung Su, this is what Jun Hyuk made… Listen to it.”

“He’s already finished?”

“No. According to Jun Hyuk, there’s still a lot left. He took a lot of sound effects in his MP3 sound library saying that he needs to listen to more.”

Yoon Jung Su felt bad for them in Jun Hyuk’s dedication,

“You guys must be struggling.”

“I’m telling you, we’re going crazy. No, first listen to this before you talk.”

After listening to a song short of 4 minutes, Yoon Jung Su could understand why the producers’ faces were full of discontent.

“This… What is this? Goodness.”

The two producers voiced their grievances as if they had been waiting for Yoon Jung Su’s surprise.

“Exactly! We’re going to go crazy. He says it’ll take a while to complete it. What more can he put in from here?”

“This is what people these days call useless high quality. I’m pretty sure that if you turn this on at a club, people will stop and enjoy the music instead of dancing to it.”

“Jung Su, you say something. And take the master keyboard away! This is like leaving a game console with a young child. I’m telling you, he’s completely blown away by it.”

Yoon Jung Su realized he had made a mistake. He felt like a teacher who had given the wrong homework. He needed to have told him to make music with just a simple beat and appropriate electronic sound. It was a mistake to throw unlimited ingredients at him.

He had created a drawing paper by mixing classical and his music with fuga. He had put L.A. metal that was popular in the 80s on that drawing paper. L.A metal is lighter than heavy metal and close to pop, so youths were enthusiastic. It is simple, but the strong guitar riff was everywhere.

It was enough until here. The part that astonished Yoon Jung Su came after he saw the part where fuga was left out.

The song that he was going to gift to Nam Seung Hee flowed as the main. It was not as the original song, but edited with a fast beat.

Yoon Jung Su yelled at the complaining producers once he came back to his senses,

“Hey! Isn’t it like that when you’re doing work? Why are you being like this? The basic is normally three or four days.”

“Jung Su, what could be different with a topcoat here? It isn’t a dance song anyway. Is he making a piece of work right now? They go to different producers the day after tomorrow. What are we supposed to do when we need to finish everything by tomorrow? Tell him to do it appropriately.”

“Jung Su, you think about it too. This song is for a broadcast, not to listen to. The music is too complex. We know that it’s good because we’re listening to it with the best equipment in a recording studio. I can guarantee that the people watching via TV will not understand this music’s real taste.”

“Alright, I get it. I’ll talk to Jun Hyuk tomorrow. And once Na Rae and Hye Sung’s recordings are finished, hand it over to the broadcast station. They’ll have to prepare for the stage. Don’t forget.”


	75. Chapter 75

Volume 2 / Chapter 75

TL: LightNovelCafe

Yoon Jung Su did not think it was so bad that he had something to teach Jun Hyuk the next day. He needed to teach Jun Hyuk the decisiveness to be able to choose jewels to toss from a chest full of jewels. It is the feeling of a director who has to take a movie film of a 3 hour running time that moves people to tears, but needs to cut it down to fit into 2 hours.

***

“The use?”

“Yeah. I told you in the beginning, right? The music needs to match the use too. It’s a little detrimental to the body but it’s simple, and fast food came out to make something to eat quickly. You have to make fast food, but you’ve made a French feast.”

“Then?”

“If you can’t take some of it out, we’ll have to end it around here. We need to finish recording today.”

It is a time when the music needs to fit the delivery. The quality of today’s popular music just passed a grade test to be produced, delivered, and consumed quickly to be thrown away.

 

Yoon Jung Su felt like he was Joseph II when he saw a surprised Jun Hyuk, and laughed.

The top opera, Mozart’s ‘Figaro’s Wedding,’ that dominated Austria was written on the command of the Holy Roman Empire’s Emperor Joseph II.

When Figaro’s Wedding premiered, Joseph II made the assessment, “Your music has too many notes.” When opera had a lot of dialogue before Mozart, there was a lot of work to handle as if it were theater dialogue. However, Mozart created the opera according to his wishes.

Since he heard an opera that was full of music as compared to the opera from before, anyone could understand Joseph II’s assessment that there were too many notes. However, it is said that Mozart replied, “There is not one unnecessary note in my music,” though there is no way to confirm this.

 

Yoon Jung Su could not get himself to tell Jun Hyuk to take out notes as Joseph II had done, but he needed to tell him not to add more.

“What do you think? Can you just end it here?”

“No. It’ll be better to just do it over again.”

“What? Again?”

This time, Jun Hyuk laughed as he saw a surprised Yoon Jung Su. s

“It’s okay. I’m not going to do it completely, but I’m going to take out a ton of it and make it really simply. I have to make fast food as you said. It’ll take three or four hours.”

 

A genius musician who is not stubborn. Had he been customized to the modern time where music is business and not art? Or could he have realized that he needs to concede at this time?

Yoon Jung Su was slightly taken aback that Jun Hyuk had accepted it so easily, but Jun Hyuk kept smiling as though it were nothing.

He was an increasingly complex child. Could it be that he has pride in his music? Or was it confidence that he could make any form of music take the best shape?

***

Jun Hyuk’s electronic song for the second stage completely transformed to be full of simplicity. Unless one looked for it, it was hard to tell that it was Yoon Jung Su’s song. He had made the perfect music combining a simple drum beat, electric guitar riff, and electronic sound effects.

It was dull however.

Everyone who had been listening to the song that Jun Hyuk had fixed in 5 hours had the same thought.

“This should be enough, right?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. You did well.”

Jun Hyuk had made the music according to Yoon Jung Su’s instructions. It was perfectly made for broadcast.

It was dull, but it also felt like there was something missing.

 

“You took out the part you’ll be performing during the broadcast?”

“Yes, since we can’t just turn the music on for the stage.”

Yoon Jung Su saw Jun Hyuk who had made the music as though according to a client’s demands as a music director instead of a musician.

“Okay. Are you going to play the guitar on stage? Or the piano?”

“No. I’m going to play the keyboard so I can play multiple instrumental sounds.”

This is how Jun Hyuk’s second mission song was completed.

The three stayed in the studio until late at night to complete their songs so they could put them up on the track site as soon as the broadcast was over. When they finished working on their songs and returned to the dormitory, Yoon Jung Su quietly called Jang Na Rae over.

“Na Rae, listen to me carefully.”

“Yes, teacher.”

“I want to bring you into my agency.”

“…..”

Jang Na Rae just bowed her head when she heard something so unbelievable. It seemed as though she was trying to hold back tears.

How anxious she must have been. She was expecting to be eliminated during the first half of the finals that were soon to start. If no one wanted to take her by then, she needed to go back to her daily life. This difficult yet grand world of entertainment would come to an end.

 

She had been thinking that her dream to make a living with music was coming to an end, but Yoon Jung Su had thrown her a rope of salvation.

“I think that if we work on your vocals, we can get them to an unreachable level.”

“Excuse me? Could it be that much?”

Yoon Jung Su’s high praises were more difficult to believe.

“Ha ha. You don’t believe my intuition?”

“Ah, that’s not what I meant.”

“It’s okay. It’s a joke. Anyway, I want to see you over time.”

“Over time?”

“Yeah. My intention is to make you a singer, not a celebrity. If I wanted to, I could get you on a couple variety programs and have you permanently placed on one. But I’m thinking of having you do music while building a fence with TV for 10 years. With a focus on album, OST, and theater concert. Instead of music ranking programs, only broadcasts like Sketchbook with a concert format.”

Yoon Jung Su meant for her to basically be a singer without a face.

“You might not be able to make much money until you take a sturdy seat in the music industry. And you won’t have fans following you around everywhere like girl groups do.”

For Jang Na Rae who dreamt of becoming a star, telling her to take the path of a musician inevitably made her hesitate.

“But in 10 years, Jang Na Rae will be a brand musician.”

It is difficult to tell someone in their 20s to be patient. Honor is important with age but in most cases, finding success quickly is the main goal for youths.

“It’s hard to succeed as a solo artist these days. You saw the girls who are the main vocals of their groups? Their vocal skills are amazing. It’s to the point where each of those girls could be solo artists.”

Since there were over millions of aspiring celebrities, the reality was that there were tons of girls who had everything including good looks and skills.

“I want to make you a singer with skills that overwhelm those girls. My goal is to make it so that they remake your songs and call you teacher instead of daring to call you sister or senior.”

“Teacher. I…..”

Yoon Jung Su stopped Jang Na Rae from speaking,

“Na Rae, hang on.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t respond now. I’m sure you need to think about it thoroughly and discuss it with your parents. Give me an answer when the broadcast is over.”

Jang Na Rae nodded her head in understanding.

“My guess is that during the broadcast, there will be other agencies contacting you to sign with them. It’ll be better for you to listen to them as well to make your decision.”

Jang Na Rae who had heard Yoon Jung Su’s proposition boarded the car going to the dormitory. Among the three, Jang Na Rae’s face was the brightest as she had put down a great worry.

The three people who had finished their second mission songs took each of their experiences and thoughts to gain more experiences and teachings from another producer.


	76. Chapter 76

Volume 2 / Chapter 76

TL: LightNovelCafe

The producer in charge of Jun Hyuk’s third mission song was Kim Jong Suk in his early 40s. He is a great producer who had created multiple musicians with individuality, who showed their own colors. He is also a famous bassist who played in two of Korea’s representative rock bands.

He had initially turned down the opportunity to produce for the show, but suddenly changed his mind when he saw Jun Hyuk on broadcast. Kim Jong Suk wanted to participate no matter what and went to the broadcast station himself.

“I’m sorry, but it’s all already decided. We can’t change the producer now. We’ve even written up all of the contracts… Ugh! How good would it have been if you had agreed to do this in the first place? Why are you being like this now?”

Producer Kim Ki Sik was upset with Kim Jong Suk who was now coming in and demanding Jun Hyuk when he had turned down their offer in the beginning. However, Kim Jong Suk insisted stubbornly,

 

“I’m sorry, but there’s this motivation now that I see Jun Hyuk. I have to see him.”

“Did you by chance get approached by an agency? To connect them with Jun Hyuk?”

“Hey! Have you ever seen me meet with those guys? You know I don’t even produce music for idol groups.”

Kim Jong Suk, who was from a rock band, only worked with musicians who did not even make TV appearances often. Most of his producing was for debut albums of underground musicians.

If Kim Jong Suk agreed to produce for someone in the underground world, it meant that they were already halfway to success. It at least meant that they would not completely fail, and that their musicality had been recognized.

On the other hand, if Kim Jong Suk refused to produce, it was a sober assessment that they should give up music to go another path.

 

“Producer Kim. I’m not trying to take the job from a junior who has already finalized their contract. Just give me Jun Hyuk. You have the third mission, right? I’ll take responsibility for that one. I’m telling you I don’t even need money. I’ll do it for free. A donation of talent? Something like that?”

“What are your intentions?”

He was not a person to be so rashly persistent. There had to be a reason why he was so insistent.

“Producer Kim. I’ll make Jun Hyuk sing on stage. It’s still a no?”

Producer Kim Ki Sik was not sure if he had heard correctly for a moment. He would make Jun Hyuk sing?

“Did you just say that you would make him sing?”

“That’s right. I’m doing this because I want to hear him sing. The tone of his voice isn’t bad. And I think I can guess why he isn’t singing… Leave it to me.”

“You’ll really make him sing?”

Kim Jong Suk’s voice grew louder at Producer Kim’s sudden interest,

“Instead, I heard that the 3rd mission theme is idol group songs, but change that. Do that in the 4th round. I heard the 3rd round is his last anyway.”

 

“If you can make Jun Hyuk sing… And if he sings well, he could push to the win.”

“That’s a little… I can’t promise that he’ll sing well. But I’ll make sure he sings. So what do you want to do? Will you leave him to me?”

“Before that… how are you going to make him sing? If I think what you’re thinking is possible, we’ll do as you say.”

“I’m going to trust his sensibility.”

“Sensibility?”

Since he was born with a talent in music, it is definite that he is rich in sensibility. Kim Jong Suk ensured Producer Kim Ki Sik that Jun Hyuk would sing if his emotions were stimulated.

“I got some information from Hyung Joong and Jung Su. Right now, that kid is just an architect who’s remodeling other people’s songs. He’s readily pulling everything apart and putting it back together according to a blueprint.”

Until now, Jun Hyuk had been focused on using the ingredients he was given to create the best music. There was no choice but to use other people’s songs because it is a broadcast, but he never showed his own story.

“This kid has never expressed himself. According to Hyung Joong, he has mountains of compositions at home, but I can guarantee that he doesn’t express himself in any of those.”

“How do you know that?”

“When normal guys like us make music, we use our emotions, feelings, and thoughts because we have nowhere else to get the music from. With someone like Jun Hyuk, he can make music with even the slightest external stimulation. I’m pretty sure he’ll make music even by listening to the sound of a subway.”

“You talk like you know Jun Hyuk really well when you’ve never met him.”

 

Producer Kim Ki Sik looked at Kim Jong Suk who was speaking more and more nonsense as if he could not believe him.

“Because I’ve met a lot of similar geniuses.”

Kim Jong Suk worked with underground young and witty musicians who made music with their own color. There was even a person who saw two cockroaches in a basement practice room and said that they looked like a couple playing ‘catch me if you can’ on the beach. Though they are not as outstanding as Jun Hyuk, the underground is full of people who have their own talents.

“So what’s the conclusion? What method will it take to make Jun Hyuk sing?”

“I want to make Jun Hyuk face himself. Then he’ll want to ‘speak’ since there are things that are hard to express with just a melody.”

“What in the world is Jun Hyuk’s hidden appearance that you’re being like this?”

“You’re asking because you don’t know?”

Producer Kim Ki Sik thought for a moment and opened his eyes widely,

“Surely?”

“Yeah. What else could there be?”

Kim Ki Sik put his life on the line for viewer ratings and did all sorts of things, but he just realized that artists do even more than that to create one piece of work.

“It’s too dangerous. If you rub his wounds, we don’t know what that brat will do. We’re dead if he gives everything up and runs away.”

Kim Jong Suk looked at Producer Kim Ki Sik pathetically,

“That’s why you’re just a producer for a music program. He won’t run away. What musician would run away when he’s found the best subject matter for music?”


	77. Chapter 77

Volume 2 / Chapter 77

TL: LightNovelCafe

Producer Kim Ki Sik could not shake his worries even while he was looking at a Kim Jong Suk full of assurance.

“Alright. Let’s say that’s true. But you know his skill is no joke, right? What if he decides to express himself with his music instead of singing?”

“Then we’re back to square one, no? If he won’t sing, we’ll end up with a really great instrumental. What are you so scared of? There’s nothing for you to lose anyway.”

Of course there was nothing to lose as long as he got on stage. Kim Jong Suk pushed again when he saw Kim Ki Sik worrying again. He could just cling to Kim Ki Sik’s weakness.

“Think about it. I heard the first stage is piano and the second is mixing? What are you going to do for the third? Is there anything other than the guitar? But didn’t you already use the guitar already by inserting it in the previews and broadcast? All that’s left is singing. Are you going to show a drum instrumental?”

 

Producer Kim was not forgetting this. He wanted to make Jun Hyuk dance for the 3rd stage if he could. They had milked him too much. They needed to show a new side of him now.

If he were to sing during the 3rd round and his song was good, they would have nothing to worry about after that. There were be a huge reversal and he would automatically win.

They might record the highest viewer ratings like they did in season 2.

“Hey! If I think I’m going to fail, I’ll say it completely honestly. Then you can redo it. What’s there to worry about when Jun Hyuk can make a song within a day or two?”

“Fine. But if there’s even the slightest problem, you need to tell me right away. Don’t hang on to him tight and have him not show up for the performance.”

 

“Okay. Don’t worry. Also, don’t put a camera on us.”

“That’s a little…..”

“It’s the 3rd stage anyway. There are a lot of participants, so use the behind the scenes of other people. Just think about it. If it were you, would you want a camera stuck to you when you’re trying to focus?”

The 3rd stage would be a contest between 8 people. Since it is a live broadcast, they would not have to put out a lot of what the VJs shot.

Producer Kim Ki Sik decided to take a big risk. Is a live broadcast itself not a risk?

“Do you know who I am?”

“Yes, I heard about you.”

“Then you didn’t know before?”

“No. I didn’t know at first, but knew once I heard the name of the band. I heard that you played the bass in your rock band? I’ve heard that band’s album before.”

“Really? It’s an honor. Yoon Jung Su was complaining that you hadn’t heard his songs before. Ha ha.”

 

Jun Hyuk did not know why he had been assigned to new producer alone. However, he felt at ease thinking that he would spend the next week with the bassist of the two albums he had listened to. Just like the music in the album he heard, Kim Jong Suk seemed to be serene.

“How was my bass? Was it okay?”

“It was mild for a rock band’s bassist, but too good for a pop bassist?”

“What? Ha ha. This… This is complete criticism.”

“No, it’s not. I meant that it is good. A bass that is calm and stable. Since you have an excellent sense of rhythm, you held the center of a progressive band.”

He did not write songs while he was in the band. The lead vocalist and guitarist made all of the songs in the album. However, Kim Jong Suk had been in charge of producing while working on their albums.

Saying that he is stable meant that Jun Hyuk had him figured out exactly.

“Of course. Your ear is just as I heard.”

“But what is this mission song?”

“That? You don’t have to worry about it. It’ll be done in a day. This time, don’t use an acoustic or electric guitar, and go for a calm performance with a classic guitar. You’ve lost interest anyway, right?”

“Excuse me?”

“Since it’s the first live stage in 10 days, you want to quit everything and go home. Nothing is fun anymore. Right?”

Jun Hyuk smiled as he saw Kim Jong Suk who was laughing while looking at Jun Hyuk. He was different from the other two producers. He did not seem as though he cared about the mission song and it seemed like he was looking at him like a fun plaything.

 

“Then can I quit? Should I just go home like this?”

“This kid… You think it would be okay? You have to keep your promise at least.”

It was obvious that he had lost interest. He would need to get back interest first. Until he wanted to sing.

“But if the mission song can be completed in one day, what do we do for a week?”

“What can we do? You can hang out with me.”

“Excuse me? What do we do while we hang out?”

“First, I want a reassessment of my bass guitar skills. I’ll play the bass, you on the drum? Or guitar?”

Jun Hyuk smiled brightly as he spoke,

“The piano is more me.”

They began to play around like this.

His days with Kim Jong Suk continued like the first day as if they were playing around. Kim Jong Suk took Jun Hyuk to Hongdae everyday. Among the countless buildings in Hongdae, there were a lot with band practice rooms in the basements.

Though they craved stardom, there were a lot of people who had to give up their dreams early on because they either did not have the talent, or they were far from the public taste.

 

The band that Kim Jong Suk met were skilled and had already released critically acclaimed debut albums. But subcultures were hungry. Much less a record, they did not have a track that sold well and there was no place that offered to promote their concert. They were just skilled underground musicians. They toured the Hongdae clubs and lived as they performed.

Jun Hyuk hung out and performed with these people in these drab basements. It was music that he had only listened to because he did not have anyone to perform it with. Though they were small and dirty basements, he was performing with other people.

There were times when the bands assisted Jun Hyuk’s music, and there were times when he supported the bands. As they filled the basements with music, Jun Hyuk’s frustration was released.

“Teacher, we’re not going to Hongdae today?”

“No. We’re not going to go today.”

Kim Jong Suk answered nonchalantly and watched Jun Hyuk’s expression. His face was full of regret. The taste of performing together with each of their parts. Jun Hyuk had learned the taste of playing in a band.

“You like bands?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Aren’t you majoring on the classical side? I thought you liked classical more than band music.”

“Whether it’s a trio, quartet, or orchestra, they’re all bands. The instruments they play are just different and an orchestra is just a band with a ton of people. Orchestras are just more fun because they need to match a huge number of instruments. Even bands that have four members practice a lot to play one song. It’s all the same thing.”

Kim Jong Suk thought that he might be able to succeed. He was not bound to the genre, but had fallen into music itself. The time was coming for him for ‘speak’ for the perfect music. If that path was unveiled, he would sing.

“Someone is going to come looking for us today. They’re kids I’m trying to make albums for, but they’re fun. I’m pretty sure you’ll like them too.”

Jun Hyuk’s curiosity was fulfilled before an hour passed. The people who came to the studio were three men in their late 20s with heads shaved so it looked as if they were criminals who had just been released from prison.

“Say hi. They’re complete punks. Their band name is Threesome Bank Robbery. You guys know who this kid is, right?”

 

When Kim Jong Suk introduced Jun Hyuk, the three men started cheering.

“Wow – he’s the biggest star right now. It’s an honor.”

“I saw the videos online. There’s a rumor in the industry that you’re the best one-man band.”

The threesome surrounded Jun Hyuk and cheered like high school fan girls.

They looked like criminals, but Jun Hyuk was surprised that they were just chatterboxes.

“There, do well since this is a person who can brazenly assess your music.”

“What is this? If the assessment isn’t good, we don’t get an album?”

“Of course. This kid’s ear isn’t common. You guys are dead.”

Guitar, bass, drum – the minimal configuration of a band. Their music was a repetition of a minimal chord simple rhythm. There are a lot of alternative bands that use punk as their base.

It was easy to tell that Threesome Bank Robbery’s music had used punk as the base to create their sound.

While Jun Hyuk heard the three songs they performed consecutively, he kept bursting out in laughter. It was music full of the ‘fun’ that Kim Jong Suk had spoken about.

It could not be said that each of their performing skills were outstanding. It was not that the style of the song overwhelmed the outstanding skill, but the performance skills were lacking. Their songs showed simplicity by using just three chords.

Jun Hyuk was laughing at the lyrics. Honestly, there was nothing to call lyrics. It was just a chanting and chorus that could be seen in folk songs.

In a song titled ‘Maponaru,’ all of the lyrics were, ‘eogiyeocha, aeheara diya, row the oar’.

Kim Jong Suk spoke as he saw Jun Hyuk laugh continuously.

“What do you think? It’s fun, right?”

“Yes. There are a lot of hidden experts in the world.”

“Expert? Those kids are experts?”


	78. Chapter 78

Volume 2 / Chapter 78

TL: LightNovelCafe

Kim Jong Suk had never thought of the threesome as experts. He just thought that they were people with the ability to make fun and good music.

“Yes. Their performance skills are lacking and the song is simple, but they overcome that by putting in a few lyrics. And it’s exciting. This won’t be something just anyone can do. That’s what a talent is.”

“What do you think their point is?”

“The ability to release lyrics like eogiyeocha with thick voices at the exact timing. It’s exquisite.”

The threesome smiled widely at Jun Hyuk’s elation.

“Wow! We received praise from a genius. He he.”

“Is there something for you to fix in our songs?”

The members were happy at Jun Hyuk’s words and full of expectation.

“There’s a lot. It’ll be good if we pull everything apart to fix… But then it’s riding on your performance skills and you won’t be able to perform, so you should just leave it the way it is.”

“Such brutal assessment without hesitation.”

The three men did not seem to regard Jun Hyuk’s evaluation very much. They just thought that this was also something very fun.

“No. It’s not brutal… It’s because a completely different music will result if I fix it. There’s a band’s color, and no one should touch it.”

 

“Jun Hyuk, what do you think about performing with them? So they can see the floor of their skills.”

Kim Jong Suk, who wanted to see something more fun, kept pushing Jun Hyuk, but he kept shaking his head.

“No. What more could you need when it’s good now? It’s perfect.”

As the Threesome Bank Robbery left the studio, Kim Jong Suk spoke as though he had been waiting,

“Okay, let’s be honest since it’s just us. What did you think?”

“It’s really good. The problem is what will happen from now on.”

“From now on? Why?”

“It hasn’t been long since those three members started music, right? I could tell by their performance skills.”

“Yeah. It’s been… 2 years? Around there.”

“Their skills will keep improving now… and they’ll start to dislike the simple songs now. Then they’ll change it to music that’s a little more colorful, then they’ll become similar other skilled bands and be compared… and that’s how they’ll fail, I guess.”

Their novelty was their weapon, but if that were to disappear in a musician. It meant that they could have a long run if they maintained their novelty with a simple performance.

 

Kim Jong Suk slightly showed why he showed the threesome’s performance,

“There aren’t very many lyrics, but what do you think?”

“That was really impressive. When they said eogiyeocha is something that can’t be expressed with an instrument.”

Jun Hyuk did not hide his admiration and spoke.

“Why do you think that?”

“I thought about what it could be switched with while I was listening, but I couldn’t think of anything.”

He had tried to remember a sound effect in the sound library that he had listened to in Yoon Jung Su’s studio, but was unable to think of anything.

 

If Jun Hyuk had realized even a little that the human voice could not be replaced with any instrument, Kim Jong Suk had reached today’s goal.

‘Should I slowly lower the bait?’

Kim Jong Suk handed over a CD. A title was written on the CD in marker.

“Jun Hyuk, do you know this song?”

“No.”

It said, ‘Must Erase You in this Sadness’ on the CD.

“It’s a song that was in Lee Hyun Woo’s first album from 1991… It wasn’t paid too much attention to back then, but became popular once Lee So Ra sang it on I am a Singer.”

Lee Hyun Woo’s 1st album was a hit with the revolutionary dance song ‘Dream’.

“I recommend that you remake Lee So Ra’s version. Her version only has a piano accompaniment. Lee So Ra is… she has the best voice so… I was thinking what if you express Lee So Ra’s voice with a classic guitar. Is it possible?”

[TN: This is the actual performance – LINK]

“Then I’ll listen to the song first.”

“No. This is better to watch as a video. I asked the broadcast station for it. Watch it.”

Jun Hyuk put the CD in the computer and started to watch the 4-minute video.

 

The video was from the special Australian concert of ‘I Am a Singer’. She came out into the amphitheater with a shaved head and black clothing like a priest and sang quietly.

It was a song that Lee So Ra had to sing while reading off of a score because they had changed her song 4 hours before the performance, and she did not have the time to memorize them. She had been in 7th place at the time but with this song, she rose to 1st place with 48% of the viewer votes.

The only accompaniment was a sweet electric piano that was not elaborate or grand.

Jun Hyuk just stared blankly at the screen. As he had only listened to her early albums, he was shocked by how thin she had gotten and by her shaved head. She also must not have been feeling well on the day of the recording, because she looked sickly. She looked like a woman who had just gone through a breakup…..

Lee So Ra’s voice came as more of a shock than her weak appearance did. Strictly speaking, the lyrics she sang touched Jun Hyuk’s heart.

As it was the first time he was crying while listening to pop music, he did not even have the thought to wipe his tears. It seemed he had even forgotten that Kim Jong Suk was next to him.

Kim Jong Suk watched Jun Hyuk and quietly went outside. He needed to leave him for at least an hour for him to wipe his tears and calm down. Teenage boys going through puberty did not like to show other people their tears. As soon as he came outside, Kim Jong Suk clenched both of his fists.

It was a success.

He was not crying because the music is good or because is impressed by Lee So Ra’s voice since he said that he had already listened to many of her songs before. There was no doubt that he was crying because of the video’s somber atmosphere and lyrics.

This was enough. The key now was to see if the emotions that Jun Hyuk was feeling could be expressed with instruments. If they could be expressed with instruments, he would fail in his objective. But if it could not…he would be able to make Jun Hyuk sing. Jackpot.


	79. Chapter 79

Volume 2 / Chapter 79

TL: LightNovelCafe

Kim Jong Suk killed enough time in a coffee shop so Jun Hyuk could dry his tears before he went back to the studio. In the studio, Jun Hyuk was sitting in front of an electric piano and playing a song that he had never heard before.

After listening to a few verses, he was most curious as to whether or not Jun Hyuk was recording the music. It was a beautiful song. He thought that the song would be very sad because Jun Hyuk had just been crying, but it was so beautiful it felt like ice cream melting.

It made him forget that this was a recording studio full of the smell of cigarettes. Etude Op. 10, No. 3 which Chopin composed at age 22 was so beautiful that it did not fall behind ‘Song of Farewell’.

When the 5 minute piano performance ended, it was Kim Jong Suk’s turn to cry. They were tears of pure emotion, not of sadness.

‘Damn. Did I fail?’

This is the thought he had even as he was crying. He should have been crying tears of sadness after Lee So Ra’s song, but it seems the result had been shifted. How could he be playing the piano in happiness and not sadness?

Kim Jong Suk wiped his tears and went toward Jun Hyuk,

“Wow- that’s great. What’s this song?”

“Oh, teacher. When did you get here?”

All traces of tears were gone from Jun Hyuk’s face and he looked brighter than usual.

“Just now. What is this piano?”

“I thought of it just now while listening to Lee So Ra.”

“What were you thinking about that you were able to create such a beautiful song?”

 

“Um… It’s difficult to say exactly but… refreshed?”

Jun Hyuk blinked for a moment as he thought and spoke easily.

“You felt refreshed?”

Had he failed in his song selection? How could it be? He had paid attention to the meaning of the lyrics and each word to choose the song. Even the singer who would be able to deliver the emotion best. He had even prepared the video because it was lacking with just the melody and lyrics alone. But he is refreshed? He had been able to tell from Jun Hyuk’s piano. The theme was surely a parting, but there was happiness in it unlike with Chopin.

He felt like he needed to see how Jun Hyuk was feeling a little more in order to take the next plan of action, whether it was choosing another song.

“Yes. It feels like something has been unblocked.”

‘I’m about to go crazy. He feels refreshed like something was unblocked?’

Jun Hyuk saw Kim Jong Suk’s uncomfortable expression and spoke,

“Why are you like that? Was the piano not good?”

“Of course not. It was great. It didn’t fall behind Chopin. Oh right, did you record this?”

“No. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“Why? This great song? Oh right, you remember all of it?”

“I do remember it but… I’m going to forget it. So it’s refreshing.”

 

He is going to forget it. Did he mean that he was going to let go of everything, whatever it was that he felt while listening to Lee So Ra’s song?

“If the 3rd mission song were one of your choice, it would have been good if you could show this piano. What a waste.”

“It’s okay. Also, teacher. Is Lee So Ra’s song my mission song?”

“Huh? Yeah. That’s what I was thinking… What do you think? Should we change it?”

“No. I like it. I’ll try changing this song to the guitar.”

As soon as Jun Hyuk took his guitar and went into the practice room, Kim Jong Suk quickly grabbed a pen and tried to write the song Jun Hyuk’s just played on a score.

 

However, Kim Jong Suk is not Mozart or a genius. All he had left was the feeling that it was beautiful and soft like ice cream. After he wrote down a couple bars of the piano melody, he could not remember any more and threw the pen.

Kim Jong Suk was going crazy at the thought of it being wasted. How many songs had disappeared in this way? Jun Hyuk will have played the piano or guitar to express the moment’s mood. He has more than enough talent to show feelings and moods with music.

He kept thinking if there was a way to gather all of these songs that are to disappear from now on. There is no way to hide a producer’s ambition.

***

Jun Hyuk was frustrated. He could not figure out why the guitar arrangement for a song of just 4 minutes was taking so long.

Usually, he could hear a song once and think of the arrangement right away. All he had to do was to play that. Arranging is the easiest aspect of music for him.

Even now, he thought up something in a wink. But when he played it on the guitar, it was awkward and it fell short of his liking. It was the same when he played it on the piano.

Kim Jong Suk listened from outside the practice room. When the guitar music first came out, he thought that he had failed in his goal to make Jun Hyuk sing.

He had heard a perfect guitar instrumental. Just as he was thinking that he needed to hurry up and think of another song, he heard another version of the guitar instrumental.

 

There were a few versions and eventually, Jun Hyuk switched to the piano. It was the same on the piano. After a few versions of the piano instrumental, there was a bang – sound.

Two hands hitting the keyboard roughly. The expression that musicians all around the world had in common. The sound that made it easiest to tell when something was not going well.

‘Of course. How could expressing oneself be easy?’

Kim Jong Suk smiled without knowing it. Jun Hyuk had met the challenge most difficult for geniuses. He must look deeply at himself instead of avoiding it as he had done until now in order for the music he wanted to come out.

‘What a headache. There’s no time.’

The problem is time. He had dragged Jun Hyuk all the way here and thought that he might be able to get what he wanted. But the live broadcast was nearing.

Jo Hyung Joong had called a few times since the morning.

[Jong Suk. Jun Hyuk needs to go into rehearsal all day tomorrow. An orchestra is coming, so he can’t miss it. Drop him off at his dorm early today and tell him to rest well.]

Jo Hyung Joong was reminding him that he was to be in charge of Jun Hyuk for the day tomorrow.

The day after tomorrow, the production team would be taking him for everyone’s 1st live stage. If the music did not come out today, the 2nd stage would end and they would only have one week to prepare for the 3rd.

 

During that one week, his schedule would be full of events and other items…..

Kim Jong Suk called Jun Hyuk out of the practice room.

“Why? It’s not going well?”

“A little. I don’t know why I don’t like it this time.”

Jun Hyuk who still did not know the reason, shook his head.

“Jun Hyuk. When I saw the broadcast, you said you think of the human voice as an imperfect instrument?”

“Yes. To an extent.”

“Why?”

“Even someone who is considered the ultimate vocalist cannot sing without an accompaniment.”

“Could there be a perfect instrument? We’re using them appropriately from time to time. Don’t you think so?”

“Yes. I think that to an extent. Are you doing this because I won’t sing?”

“Yeah. I’m really curious about that. You’re vocal tone isn’t bad. But why don’t you sing?”

“I don’t dislike it because the human voice is imperfect. It’s the same as my not being able to play the piano. There are tons of people who are good at singing, so there’s really no reason for me to do it.”

“But I’m sure there have been times when you wanted to sing with your voice too? Pianists, violinists, and even conductors have gone to the karaoke to sing.”

“Oy, of course I’ve done that before too. But when I sang, it doesn’t sound very good. I ruin the song and you can’t call what I do in karaoke, music. I’m just singing for fun.”

He could imagine it. He could imagine Jun Hyuk turning the music on loudly in an empty cafe basement and singing along to the songs he likes. Could there be a person who works in the recording studio who has not done this? Kim Jong Suk’s heart beat. That’s right. He’s a person too, so there is no way he has not sung before.

“Really? Whose song do you sing?”

“It’s different every time. I usually sing along to the blues and rock since I can’t do opera arias or jazz at all.”

“How about our pop music?”

“He he. Not really… They’re all talking about men and women…..”

It was indeed an issue of the lyrics. They were hard to sympathize with. With a foreign song, the melody prevailed because he did not know the meaning of the lyrics at all. That is why he could sing them.

 

“Jun Hyuk. There’s a saying. A letter cannot contain all words and words cannot contain all emotions. That’s why music exists. It exists in order to fully capture inexpressible feelings…”

“Oh! That’s really cool. Who said that?”

“I don’t know. I just heard it somewhere too. He he.”

As Jun Hyuk showed interest, Kim Jong Suk continued speaking,

“I think this is saying that music is the best. I think it means that words are the best in delivering feelings, but it becomes perfect when music is added.”

Jun Hyuk listened carefully to Kim Jong Suk so as not to miss a word.

“And there’s a limitation to music. There are traps too.”

“Traps?”

“Yeah. Music captures emotions, but it’s difficult to capture a narrative.”

“Narrative? No, it can capture that plenty. Sonatas which are the majority of classical are narratives….”

“Exactly. The music becomes longer in order to capture the narrative, no? Tell me if there’s a short 5 minute song that contains a narrative.”

Jun Hyuk did not have an answer to the sudden question. Sonata No. 3 and No. 4 compositions. They were all long.

“The only way to capture a narrative in 5 minutes is by speech.”

“The voice is an imperfect instrument, but speech is the best tool to deliver a narrative. That’s why since long ago, narratives have been delivered by poems and stories. Singing means that you’re using this good tool, ‘speech,’ not using your voice. Vocals are a problem for later.”

Jun Hyuk had a vague feeling that singing is just another way of speaking.

“If arranging Lee So Ra’s song is difficult, don’t restrict yourself too much and broaden your horizons. Don’t think about it as singing but as ‘speech’.”

Up to here was everything Kim Jong Suk could do. Now he needed to proceed with the live stage and once the 2nd stage was over, they would meet to prepare for the 3rd round.

‘Producer Kim is going to lose his cool.’

He had talked big, but had not been able to succeed. However, there was still the slightest chance left.

Kim Jong Suk did not forget Jo Hyung Joong’s urging to send Jun Hyuk back to the dorm early. He did not forget his last message either.

“Jun Hyuk, I heard tomorrow is the combined rehearsal? Completely empty your mind. Once the 2nd round is over, you have a week’s time. Think about this again then.”

Kim Jong Suk prayed to himself that Jun Hyuk would decide to sing.


	80. Chapter 80

Volume 2 / Chapter 80

TL: LightNovelCafe

“I had a feeling when you didn’t pick up the phone yesterday. Forget recording, isn’t it over if you haven’t even been able to arrange the song yet?”

Producer Kim Ki Sik was frowning at a Kim Jong Suk who had run to the broadcast station himself.

“That’s not it. We haven’t been able to arrange the song yet because it can’t be expressed as an instrumental. He needs to sing.”

“Jong Suk. Why is Jun Hyuk being like that with ‘Must Erase You in this Sadness’? It’s not even very unique.”

“The lyrics aren’t about breaking up, but about the moment two people turn from each other after they break up.”

When Kim Jong Suk thought of the song, he recalled a scene as though from a movie.

 

“I showed him the version that Lee So Ra sang on purpose. If you fit it all together well, the picture becomes clear.”

No matter how Producer Kim Ki Sik tried to fit the pieces together, a special picture did not appear.

Kim Jong Suk began to go through the details for Producer Kim Ki Sik who could not put the pieces together.

Leaning on a cold wall

Watching a dawn coming brighter.

“This means she wandered until dawn after breaking up since couples don’t meet at dawn to break up. Whether they met at night or at dinner, she wasn’t able to brush it off and go back home. It was that difficult.”

Now I must leave your side.

Though I might regret leaving your side

It’s because I love you.

“She truly loved him, but decided that breaking up is better for the other person. Since the singer is Lee So Ra, this was the woman’s decision. And the reason why I didn’t let him listen to the version by Lee Hyun Woo.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik started to listen to Kim Jong Suk’s interpretation with interest.

I love you but I can’t help but leave.

This moment is so hard.

“I’m sure it means that breaking up is great suffering for the woman as well?”

Though I only cause you pain

You’ll be able to understand me one day.

“This is important. ‘You’ll be able to understand me one day’. There will inevitably be a day when he understands the reason why they broke up, the reason why this was the only choice. This is the most important message to deliver to Jun Hyuk.”

Goodbye, my love

“It’s not [my former love], but [my love]. She’s not saying that her love faded, but is confessing that she still loves him. What do you think?”

“So why are you saying that this makes Jun Hyuk look back at himself? What’s the relation to the lyrics?”

 

A scene where a man and woman who are in love, break up. What is he saying is special? Producer Kim Ki Sik could not understand Kim Jong Suk’s interpretation yet.

Kim Jong Suk looked at Producer Kim pathetically,

“What is it? You still don’t know? Your imagination is too short for a producer of a music program.”

“Jong Suk!”

“Think about it carefully. The woman is Jun Hyuk’s biological mother. The man is Jun Hyuk himself.”

“Ah…..!”

Kim Ki Sik yelled as he had just understood it.

These lyrics were the story of the day that Jun Hyuk was abandoned.

After leaving a baby at the door of an orphanage, a woman who cannot leave and leans on a wall in an alley. That woman’s confession.

 

“Jun Hyuk cried hard when he first heard this song. But after crying for a while, he expressed the joy of farewells on the piano.”

“Joy?”

“Yeah. He thought that his mother did this for him. It was because she loves him and not because he was bothersome or because she did not love him. For him. That’s why he was happy. Of course, we don’t know if this is true or not. Jun Hyuk’s mother who abandoned him is the only person who can know, but Jun Hyuk thought the same way as the lyrics.”

Emotions came through the listener. The composer melted his intentions into a song and the audience melted their emotions out.

“If he had listened to Lee So Ra’s song and freely gushed his feelings, he wouldn’t have needed to sing. He can express himself on the piano and guitar. That’s why he was able to create the piano song. But he said that he would forget it. He’s brushing it off so he doesn’t have to think about it twice.”

Jun Hyuk’s on-the-spot piano. That was the song that Jun Hyuk had interpreted from Lee So Ra.

“But he needs to arrange the song for the mission. He needs to do it from his mother’s position and not by his emotions. He can change the melody. He’s only controlled rhythm and inserted parts, so he can’t express lyrics. That’s why Jun Hyuk hasn’t been able to finish the arrangement yet.”

It seemed cruel. Kim Ki Sik is the one who had thought that it was necessary to rub salt in his wounds. However, as Kim Jong Suk had assured, Jun Hyuk did not run away or quit. He was looking back at himself.

“Producer Kim. Send him back to me once the 2nd stage is over. Something will come out after 2 weeks. Can you wait a little longer?”

“What can I do when you’ve pushed me into another corner? I’ll have to wait, won’t I? Just make it so he isn’t absent for the live stage. If you can’t get him to sing, just make sure he has a great instrumental.”

Singing could wait just a bit. Now it was time for the orchestra.


	81. Chapter 81

Volume 2 / Chapter 81

TL: LightNovelCafe

Two days before the first broadcast of the finals, Jo Hyung Joong and Jun Hyuk met with Fine Philharmonic and its conductor. They met on the stage where the 12 participants would appear with distinctly different and stylish looks compared to the preliminaries.

The music director and staff were also there to participate in the sound check for the orchestra’s live stage. A great sound needed to grace the 1st live stage of the finals.

“Hello, Teacher Jo. I am Hwang Suk Min.”

“Ah, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Jo Hyung Joong.”

Conductor Hwang Suk Min shook everyone’s hand lightly and turned to Jun Hyuk,

 

“I guess you’re the one who said all of those bitter words.”

Hwang Suk Min held Jun Hyuk’s hand firmly,

“Our expectations are great today. We’ve practiced a bit as well. Let’s see what kind of music comes from your piano and us.”

The orchestra’s tuning began and Hwang Suk Min who had finished his preparations spoke to Jun Hyuk,

“So, we need to try it out? See what kind of sound results.”

The conductor’s somewhat provocative words. And with the pressure of the 60 performers before their eyes, Jun Hyuk felt as though his head had been wiped blank.

 

“What are you doing? You have to sit in front of the piano.”

Jun Hyuk who had been standing awkwardly, took a deep breath and faced the piano at Hwang Suk Min’s sound.

There were 88 keys that he had seen countless times. It was a keyboard that he had played without anxiety or hesitation until now. But now, his fingertips shook at Conductor Hwang Suk Min’s gaze, who was asking if he was ready to perform with everyone.

It was the first orchestra he was meeting after he had started to earnestly listen to music and learn to play instruments. Jun Hyuk had always imagined playing with an orchestra while playing alone. He had not imagined that the provocative gazes of 60 performers and their conductor would be this heavy.

When Hwang Suk Min confirmed that Jun Hyuk had put his hands on the piano, he lifted his baton.

 

He winked to send a signal to Jun Hyuk and the baton sliced downwards through the air. Jun Hyuk could hear the intense melody of the stringed instruments. After just two verses ended, the music stopped.

“Jun Hyuk, don’t be nervous. Take a deep breath…..”

The performance had stopped because Jun Hyuk had lost the timing to start playing the piano. He could not press one key and just looked at his shaking hands.

His face became hot. He had insulted them saying that they could not read scores and could not concentrate, but he was the one who could not play the piano because of his shaking hands.

“I see this is our pianist’s first time performing with an orchestra. What do you think about playing by yourself first? All we’ve heard is a recorded file of our pianist’s performance. You might have something to criticize with us as well. Ha ha.”

“Then… Then I’ll try playing by myself and we can try again.”

“Okay. Take your time. We can rehearse over 100 times. It’s a big problem if we make a mistake like this on stage. I heard it’s a live broadcast? That means it’s a concert.”

Jun Hyuk took a deep breath and put his hands on the piano again. The 5 minutes performance ended, but the conductor did not show a satisfied expression.

“Our pianist has withered. I thought it’s the theme of a robot animation? A robot isn’t a newlywed or anything. I’m pretty sure it’ll be too calm.”

Jun Hyuk could not tell if Hwang Suk Min was assessing him or being sarcastic, but he became ardent at his laughter. Thanks to this, he released a lot of tension and found the will to fight back.

“There, then let’s try it for real.”

Hwang Suk Min smiled slightly at Jun Hyuk’s challenging tone.

He brought down his baton. Jun Hyuk was only looking at the end of the baton as it matched the sound of the stringed instruments, and put his fingers on the keyboard. They started to play together.

 

When the introduction ended and the 1st verse started, the piano’s melody began to overwhelm the stringed instruments. Not the climax, but the lyrical part.

Dolce!

It was a part that had to continue sweetly and softly. The explosion was still far away. However, this gentle piano was hitting down on the stringed instruments like a hammer.

The timing was perfect and there were no mistakes, but the pressure in the violin bows was reduced. Only 20 seconds had passed.

When Hwang Suk Min heard the sound of the strings fading, he used all of his strength to save it. But the violin and viola did not have the strength to withstand the power of the piano.

If they caved before the climax, the balance would collapse when the winds entered.

The conductor grit his teeth and tried to encourage them, but they eventually all fell after being dragged along by the piano. By the time the winds entered, the orchestra parts had become a mess and Hwang Suk Min stopped his baton.

Jun Hyuk also stopped playing the piano. Since one hand had stopped, it was awkward to play by himself.

“Oy, what an embarrassment. After performing in front of people who use art for vanity, we’ve met our match today.”

Hwang Suk Min laughed as he scratched his back with the baton.

Fine Philharmonics was made up of performers of similar standards, and they sold their tickets to an audience also of a similar standard. Half of those are invitations.

 

It was hard to say that the people who came for them had an affinity for classical, no for music. They wanted to wear the clothes of dignity from classical music, and filled their vanity by enjoying it. That is why their ticket prices had been decided on an amount that was just fit for these people.

The repertoire was monotonous. They could not get past Beethoven, Mozart, Bach. They became uncomfortable when they went over to Schumann, Toscanini, Mahler. Their audience was full of people who could not appreciate music that they were not used to.

Since they had rarely performed in front of an audience with sharp ears, the conductor and performers all became overwhelmed and faded away.

“I was told that you started playing the piano 2 years ago.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Self-educated?”

“Well… Almost.”

The 60 performers’ jaws dropped when they heard that he was self-educated, but Hwang Suk Min lightly nodded his head as though he had been expecting it.

“You have an overflowing energy because you’re wild and haven’t been tamed. We’re going to have a bit of a hard time today.”

Hwang Suk Min who had been scratching his head with the baton spoke in words that may or may not have been in jest.

“I provoked you for no reason. I shouldn’t have said anything about the robots or newlywed.”

Hwang Suk Min who had been blank for a moment, said something unexpected to Jo Hyung Joong and the music director,

“Do you by chance have some time?”

“Excuse me?”

“Do the other participants have rehearsals on this stage?”

“No. We left today completely empty.”

The music director knew that it would not be easy to practice with the full orchestra. This was not the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts or the Seoul Arts Center. There could be no mistakes in the live performance opening in 2 days because it was to be recorded as a track live. They needed today to be a perfect rehearsal.

“What do you think about warming up and then rehearsing the mission song?”

“Warming up?”

Jo Hyung Joong and the music director could not know the meaning of warming up and just blinked.

“Oh, it’s nothing really. Jun Hyuk’s piano is so strong that we need some time to get used to it. I would like to build our ability while playing a song that we are confident in together.”

 

“Oh, I see. I guess our ears will receive a treat because of this.”

The music director had an unexpected opportunity to listen to Jun Hyuk’s piano skills properly. If it is a song that the orchestra is confident in, it was bound to be a classical, a concerto.

On top of that, it was killing two birds with one stone because he could check the sound with their combined performance. The music director and Jo Hyung Joong settled themselves in to enjoy the music.

“Jun Hyuk. Can you play Beethoven’s Concerto No. 5?”

“Yes. You’re talking about ‘Emperor’?”

“That’s right. Should we try just the 2nd part?”

Skipping the 1st part to play the 2nd was an excellent choice.

The 1st part had a feeling of ‘clarity,’ ‘grandeur,’ and ‘strength,’ whereas the 2nd part would allow them to see an unhurried piano with a ‘bittersweet’ feeling. It could have been the best choice to calm Jun Hyuk’s assaultive piano.

It seemed Jun Hyuk could guess Hwang Suk Min’s intentions because his face relaxed.

“It was part of our repertoire a few days ago. Let’s try with that for fun. We would like to try playing something we’re more familiar with to learn to play with you.”

Hwang Suk Min stressed again that it was not to be a match between the piano and orchestra, but a performance to get to know each other. He knew better than anyone else that if Jun Hyuk were to show Beethoven’s force, the orchestra would collapse.

“Since it’s your first time playing in concert, let’s keep going even if there’s a mistake or something you don’t like. It’s just a warm up anyway. That’s okay?”

“Yes.”

Jun Hyuk’s heart started to race again. To play a piece by Beethoven! With an orchestra.

Until now, he had played Beethoven while imagining orchestra parts. At the thought that he would be playing with a real orchestra instead of imagining it, his anxiety disappeared and instead was full of anticipation.

 

“If anyone has an extra score, can you give it to our pianist?”

“It’s okay. I memorized all of the parts.”

“Really? Seeing as you’re able to memorize it, you must have practiced it a lot.”

Hwang Suk Min who had been turning his head from Jun Hyuk thought of what he had just said.

All of the parts!

It could not be?

“Hang on. When you say you memorized all of the parts, do you mean…..?”

“Right. I memorize all of the parts.”

The noise of scores rustling on stands stopped. Had they heard correctly? Could they have misheard something? Was it possible to remember all of the sounds that an orchestra needed to make?

“This… well I’ve taken a hit. You memorize scores whole? How much do you have to practice to memorize scores?”

Hwang Suk Min and the other performers knew of Jun Hyuk’s past through the broadcast and press. After wandering as an orphan, it had only been 2 years since he started music. It seemed an impossible feat even if he had only practiced Beethoven nonstop.

“You’re not one of those geniuses we see in dramas who can listen to a song once and memorize the entire score, are you?”

Jun Hyuk’s gaze at Hwang Suk Min without response gave the answer. He was that kind of person. Jun Hyuk’s heart started to race again. To play a piece by Beethoven! With an orchestra.

Until now, he had played Beethoven while imagining orchestra parts. At the thought that he would be playing with a real orchestra instead of imagining it, his anxiety disappeared and instead was full of anticipation.

“If anyone has an extra score, can you give it to our pianist?”

“It’s okay. I memorized all of the parts.”

“Really? Seeing as you’re able to memorize it, you must have practiced it a lot.”

Hwang Suk Min who had been turning his head from

“It couldn’t be?”

He was so surprised that he dropped the baton in his hand.

“Really? You can listen to something once and memorize all of the parts?”

“Yes.”

Hwang Suk Min was speechless. They were also going through a camera test for the live broadcast in 2 days. There were 3 cameras rolling at the moment. The staff members who had been watching their conversation through the camera lens were also speechless.

“Ah, it’s not all songs. I can’t seem to memorize lyrics of even short pop songs.”

He can’t memorize 3 minutes of lyrics, but he can memorize an enormous amount of notes? No one on the stage could understand.

“Then don’t you forget what you memorized?”

“No.”

This meant that there were hundreds of songs saved in Jun Hyuk’s head. When beginning studies to become a conductor, they had to memorize the 50 songs that are played most first. No, they had to study until they memorized them. They had to read a score as they listened to the music countless times to memorize one song. Still, all conductors without exception conducts while looking at a score. They always have a score to check just in case something unexpected happens.

Hwang Suk Min had been impressed by the image of Jun Hyuk’s talent that he had seen on broadcast – arranging a song on the spot, playing the drums incredibly to perfect a song. The piano he had just shown was only capable with a first-class pianist who ruled an orchestra.

This is not a flash of talent. Is he not the second Mozart?


	82. Chapter 82

Volume 2 / Chapter 82

TL: LightNovelCafe

While everyone was silent in disbelief, Jo Hyung Joong spoke. As the person who had seen Jun Hyuk’s talent the most, he was surprised when he heard that Jun Hyuk could memorize all music, but he was not as shocked as the others.

“Teacher Hwang. Let’s finish up the concert first. The day isn’t very long.”

“Ah, this… I was just so surprised… This is a pianist who catches us off guard.”

Hwang Suk Min shook his head as he picked up his baton.

“There there. Let’s all get ourselves together and focus. At this rate, we’ll ruin the performance.”

Everyone positioned their instruments and looked at the conductor with his baton, waiting for the signal.

“Okay, then we’re trying this properly.”

The members of the orchestra held each of their instruments.

Hwang Suk Min checked to see that Jun Hyuk was ready in front of the piano and slowly moved the baton.

 

The 2nd part of Beethoven’s Concerto No. 5 Emperor began.

The 1 minute 25 second elegant introduction came out through the strings, and the music started slowly with the weak and delicate piano solo that picked up the music from the strings.

A piano that was neither aggressive nor extreme. It was not trying to press another part down to win. It was going out slowly on its own. It was a performance that was being considerate so the people who would be joining soon would not experience difficulty.

Continuing, the woodwinds’ sad melody spilled over Jun Hyuk’s left hand piano instrumental. When Jun Hyuk was playing the chords of the 16th notes, the orchestra followed the piano. Soon after, they began to play 2 of 3 each. The 60 performers were much more comfortable with this song than they were with From the Sun to the Boy. It was not because they had practiced it countless times. It was because they could feel the piano’s intention to carry them along.

 

Hwang Suk Min began to open his heart. The orchestra was naturally following the piano’s lead. It was as though Jun Hyuk was conducting the orchestra while playing the piano as Beethoven did.

When the 2nd part was over, the performers were all smiling broadly. The Jun Hyuk who had criticized them so severely was nowhere to be found. They were sitting in front of Jun Hyuk’s piano that was as if it were saying it accepted their performance and to trust it and follow along.

Hwang Suk Min put his baton down to indicate that he had achieved his goal and spoke to the performers,

“This… This isn’t something we should just be smiling about.”

At this, the performers began to move their feet. Since both hands were holding their instruments, they applauded by moving their feet.

“Was it Argerich?”

Empress of piano, Martha Argerich.

Hwang Suk Min could understand where Jun Hyuk’s power in pressing down the orchestra during ‘From the Sun to the Boy’ came from. Argerich’s piano – a charisma so overwhelming that it could swallow a first-class orchestra whole. They did not have the ability to withstand that.

“I see. You’re saying that you have the skills to perfectly reproduce Argerich’s piano within 2 years? I’m going to go crazy. How many gods of music are in your body?”

 

Hwang Suk Min could not think of Jun Hyuk as anything but God’s mistake. Normally, God only allocated one talent. And one could be called a genius with just that one talent. But he could not begin to tell how many talents Jun Hyuk had.

Hwang Suk Min lightly shook his head and brushed off his thoughts as he looked at Jun Hyuk. That was enough warming up. They needed to go back to the mission song.

“Okay. Now should we try the mission song? Jun Hyuk, are you ready? Can you bring everyone along like you did with Beethoven just now?”

Jun Hyuk nodded his head vigorously.

***

After rehearsing a few times, Hwang Suk Min looked at Jun Hyuk. Jun Hyuk had taken his hands off of the piano and was also looking at Hwang Suk Min. When their eyes met, Hwang Suk Min laughed and Jun Hyuk smiled.

The music director who had checked the sound did not have to worry about the live stage. He had no doubt that it would be the program’s best stage.

Hwang Suk Min put his baton down and spoke to Jun Hyuk,

“Let’s talk.”

The two people moved their seats to a corner of the stage.

“It’s the truth that you’re able to memorize a song after hearing it once, right?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sure you’ve compared different orchestras playing the same song.”

“Yes, of course.”

“What do you think?”

“It’s fun. If you keep listening while comparing them, you can tell what the conductor is thinking and what his habits are.”

“I guess those differences are in the differences between each conductor’s music?”

“Yes.”

Even while playing the same song, the feeling was different by the person playing it. But it meant that Jun Hyuk could tell the difference by each of the instruments.

The ability to point out the subtle difference in a violin meant that he could reproduce the performances of master musicians now. It was a talent that any conductor would envy. While others had to listen to it hundreds of times to identify that subtle difference, he has the ability do it as soon as he hears it.

 

It was what students dreamt of. The dream of automatically memorizing a textbook or reference book. Then there would be no need to study.

Ultimately, it meant that if Jun Hyuk wanted to, he could take the baton and perform the music of the greats like Bernstein, Georg Scholte, Furtwängler, and Karajan.

Hwang Sung Min could understand how the skill Jun Hyuk had shown on broadcast had been created over just 2 years. He would not have needed the process of learning to play instruments. It was just an issue of skill.

“By chance, in Beethoven’s No. 9… can you hear each of the sounds in the choir?”

“Yes because it just means that the number of instruments is increasing by the number in the choir.”

“The song is 74 minutes long. It’s tremendous if you combine the number of instruments and the choir…..”

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9

The best work in the history of symphonies, designated as a World Programme Heritage. Conductor Karajan of the Berlin Philharmonic had decided that the 74 minute symphony needed to be recorded on a CD. When Philips, the developer of CDs, accepted this the standard length of CDs was changed from 60 minutes to 75 minutes.

A work that boasts of the highest level of difficulty.

It was hard to believe Jun Hyuk when he said that he had listened to a song like this and memorized it.

Hwang Suk Min spoke with Jun Hyuk for a while. He did not just memorize the songs, he understood their interpretations. There is an incredible difference between memorizing and understanding. Hwang Suk Min who had scrutinized Jun Hyuk’s talent felt as though he had found a treasure.

On the one hand, the broadcast production team felt as though they had picked up an entire treasure chest.

Jun Hyuk and the orchestra’s rehearsal was more dramatic than the stage that they would be showing on live broadcast.

Speechless performers, the orchestra collapsing at Jun Hyuk’s piano. Even the Beethoven that Jun Hyuk and the orchestra played together perfectly. They had filmed magical scenes.

The production team who had recorded all of this needed to think about how they would use it for the broadcast airing in 2 days.

There was also a person who thought for a while before grabbing his phone. This was conductor Hwang Suk Min.


	83. Chapter 83

Volume 2 / Chapter 83

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Teacher. This is Hwang Suk Min.”

– Oh wow, Teacher Hwang. It’s been a while. How have you been?

“I’ve been pretty much the same.”

– I guess there’s something going on? What is it? Did you want to get a drink? You’re calling this old woman out of the blue.

“No. I might have to cram for an exam. Let’s do drinks next time. I called you because I think I found a gem and I wanted to see what you thought of him.”

– Gem? A pianist?

“Yes. He’s 17 years old, but he’s only been playing the piano for 2 years.”

– 17? Then he started at 15… That’s very late.

“Due to that, he isn’t bound to standards and is very free. No, rather than free, should I say he’s wild? Anyway, he’s really something.”

He did not think that Jun Hyuk was free, but it was difficult to pinpoint a way to describe him.

 

– Is that so? But do I really have to see him? If you say he’s a gem, he’s a gem.

“There’s… something that bothers me but I don’t know what it is. I can’t tell if it’s a flaw or his color.”

– I see. Bring him over sometime. Let’s see him together.

“Thank you, teacher. Then.”

When Hwang Suk Min hung up, Jo Hyung Joong who had been next to him opened his mouth slightly,

“Uh… Who were you just talking to?”

“Oh, it was Professor Jeon Hye Jin. You know her, right?”

“Jeon Hye Jin? The pianist Professor Jeon Hye Jin?”

“Yes.”

At 24, she came in 3rd place in the Long Thibaud Competition (biennial piano and violin competition in Paris) and started to tour the world. She did not have the skill to be called on by world-famous symphonies like Vienna, New York, and Berlin, but she was successful enough to hold piano recitals with orchestras of high standards in each city.

When she returned to Korea after living abroad for about 10 years, she was scouted by many universities as the first person to go up in the Long Thibaud Competition. She is now serving as a professor at the Music Conservatory, a Korean educational institution.

“Were you talking about Jun Hyuk?”

“Yes.”

“Is there a problem with Jun Hyuk’s piano?”

“Honestly, it’s an amazing skill. It’s almost impossible for someone to reach this level with self-education… but if he had received formal education, he would have been an outstanding pianist.”

“But why…..?”

“There’s something that bothers me, but I can’t pinpoint what it is. And if Professor Jeon Hye Jin is interested, it could be a great opportunity for Jun Hyuk.”

“Oh, I see.”

Hwang Suk Min’s real objective was to see if Jun Hyuk had the talent to stand on major, international stages with other geniuses instead of being wasted on a TV show like this.

Two days after Jun Hyuk and the orchestra finished rehearsing, a bus was taking the final 12 participants to the Sangam-dong broadcast station in Seoul.

 

There were still more than 12 hours left before the live broadcast, but backstage was noisier than a marketplace, and there were staff members moving busily everywhere. The 12 participants who were standing amidst all of this awkwardly were not the protagonists of the stage, but just props.

“Everyone listen up. You have to be alert today. Don’t run around. If you need something, tell your manager. These 3 people here are managers for the day. They’ll take care of everything you need.”

The participants memorized the faces of the three strongly built men.

“There’s no point in asking other people for what you need. Even if they say okay, it’s not their job… so they’re just answering out of courtesy. You have to make your requests to these 3 people. Keep that in mind.”

 

The production team was so busy inspecting the 11 participants excluding Jun Hyuk for the sound, light, stage equipment, et cetera that they did not know how time was flying.

After finishing his rehearsal, Kwak Hye Sung came backstage and sat down blankly, looking wearier than everyone else. After watching his opponents’ rehearsals, he could not shake the feeling that he would be one of the two eliminations today.

He could see it in the expressions of the staff after he was done singing. He had seen that they looked bored without any emotion, surprise, or admiration.

His stage looked like it was included to fill the time. No one showed anticipation for his performance.

“Try shouting boldly.”

“Oh, it’s you Jun Hyuk. I heard you’re not rehearsing?”

“No. We did our rehearsal the day before yesterday.”

Kwak Hye Sung took the water bottle that Jun Hyuk handed to him and thought of what he just said.

“But… shout what?”

“Didn’t I tell you before? I told you to use the technique you used in vocal training to bring change to the song.”

“Honestly, I don’t have the confidence.”

“Then what are you going to do? Are you going to sing in this dejected state without confidence?”

Kwak Hye Sung seemed to be so removed that he did not even want to respond.

 

“There’s still a lot of time left. Don’t we start at 10 at night? That’s enough time to practice.”

“Then can you help me a little? You don’t have rehearsals anyway.”

“What can I help with? You’re just doing what you know how to do. You can just do it. You’re a lot more apprehensive than you seem.”

Jun Hyuk left Kwak Hye Sung’s side after he spoke.

***

“You handed over the judge and MC scripts?”

“Yes.”

“How about the list of eliminations?”

“I handed them over. Nam Seung Hee and Kwak Hye Sung, right?”

“Yeah. Also, how is Son Jin Young’s expression?”

“He seems a little upset. I think he was expecting her to go on air at least twice.”

“We’re going to be strict from now on. We have to eliminate them in order, since we don’t know if a dark horse might appear.”

Producer Kim Ki Sik was reviewing the cue sheet one more time before the live broadcast that was approaching in an hour. The players in today’s 1 and a half hour live broadcast would be the 12 participants, the MC, judges, and audience. Producer Kim Ki Sik is the maestro conducting all of these people.

Before MC Moon Kyung Min who was in charge of proceedings went on stage, he paced backstage while peeking at the audience to relieve his anxiety.

“What happened? It’s too unilateral.”

MC Moon Kyung Min was scolding the staff taking care of him. That was how worried he was regarding the audience’s excessive bias.

“We’re going crazy too. We chose the audience by area and age but…..”

“Don’t we have to reduce the placards and signs? They’re all Jang Jun Hyuk. You’re going to put this out on air?”

“Senior, the staff is going around the entire audience switching them appropriately.”

“I don’t know about anything else, but it’s a huge problem if the other kids’ performances finish and there isn’t a reaction. Practice that with them. It’s a contest with 12 people, not Jang Jun Hyuk’s fan meeting.”

It was clear that unless it was a family member or friend of the 11 participants, everyone in the audience was there for Jun Hyuk.

After 2 hours of waiting, the audience complaints began to trickle down. Then, an announcement came out and the stage lights began to dance. The 1st live stage had started.


	84. Chapter 84

Volume 2 / Chapter 84

TL: LightNovelCafe

“Hello. I am MC Moon Kyung Min of Tomorrow’s Star. We have come to the 5th season of ‘Tomorrow’s Star’. This season, with a lot of news and raised standards for participants…..”

The MC’s cheesy praise of the program and introductions of the judges continued. Once each of the judges relayed their greetings to the audience, the MC explained the assessment criteria.

“I will tell you the evaluation regulations. Until the top 5, judge scores will be 50%, text message votes will be 45%, and the audience vote that we are introducing this season will be 5%. The sum of the results will decide which finalists advance to the next round.”

The atmosphere on the field was clearly different than with TV viewers. There was a difference in the sound quality between a music hall sound system and a TV speaker. This is a new formula to reflect that difference in the scores.

 

“Those of you in the audience can use the button that you were given when you came in, to enter your vote. There are three opportunities to make your vote. You can vote during the performance and you can vote after you listen to everyone’s songs. Please choose the three people that you would like to see in the next round and press their numbers.”

Lastly, he instructed them on audience participation which is a way to raise viewer ratings,

“Viewers can enter their votes by texting the number at the bottom of the TV screen. #5700, press #5700 and send the text after typing the participant name and participant number.”

He introduced each of the 12 participants and got the audience to cheer. When he introduced Jun Hyuk last, the audience showed that they had already decided their votes.

 

It was almost impossible to proceed with the broadcast because the audience was cheering and chanting ‘Jang Jun Hyuk!’ so loudly that the other 11 participants’ families had twisted expressions.

Young women cheered him for his looks, young men for his rebellious temperament, and older people out of compassion.

MC Moon Kyung Min was trying to abate the audience’s fervor and was finally able to return it to its normal state with the staff running around to calm everyone down.

When Moon Kyung Min’s introductions ended, a countdown began on the TV screen, further creating suspense.

“Okay, the texting votes begin now. People of Korea, we ask that you think carefully about who you would like to see in the next round and participate in the vote.”

 

Fanfare sounded to indicate that an elaborate show was soon to start, and the competition began.

“The first participant to grace the stage is…..”

***

A junior assistant producer came running to a Producer Kim Ki Sik who let out a breath of relief thinking that everything was proceeding smoothly.

“Senior, we’re in trouble.”

“What is it now?”

“We’re overwhelmed with text messages.”

“What? We just started.”

“That’s…..”

“It can’t be Jun Hyuk?”

Not even Producer Kim Ki Sik had not expected the reaction to be to this extent.

“Yes. The broadcast’s board is no joke either. They’re saying forget everything, it’s Jun Hyuk. What should we do?”

“How about the audience?”

“It seems members of the audience are all giving one out of the three votes to Jun Hyuk. Over 95% of them already voted for Jun Hyuk at least once.”

They did not need to see that the remaining 5% were related to the other participants to figure it out.

 

“You have records of internet preference statistics, right? Which group has the lowest participation rate?”

“Hold on.”

The assistant producer went through vote statistics.

“30 year old men.”

“Then adjust the preference graph a little for people who aren’t Jun Hyuk.”

“Excuse me?”

The assistant producer could not understand Producer Kim Ki Sik’s intention.

“You don’t understand?? I’m telling you to put out the graph showing the other kids as the preference of 30 year old men. Then, 30 year old men who were watching TV will send in their text votes for Jun Hyuk.”

“Oh, I see.”

“And give me a real-time update on the texting usage data.”

“Okay, I will.”

Backstage was as frantic as the control room. People from the sponsorship companies were walking around checking to see if the makeup was okay and if there were no problems with the clothing.

Jun Hyuk was looking at a tuxedo hanging on one wall and thinking of an excuse not to wear it.

 

Last night, Yoon Kwang Hun had come to the dorm for the first time.

“Sir.”

Jun Hyuk was surprised that Yoon Kwang Hun had appeared without calling ahead, but also thankful.

“Hey. Are you eating well? You have to rest well tonight since the first stage is tomorrow.”

“You’re not coming tomorrow?”

“No. It’ll get noisy if I go. The lawsuit isn’t over yet. Reporters are going to come swarming. Don’t worry. I’ll watch you really carefully on the huge screen at the cafe.”

Yoon Kwang Hun pulled a black outfit from the car.

“I prepared this so you could wear it for your performance tomorrow. You’re performing with an orchestra, so you should do them this courtesy.”

“Is this a suit?”

“It’s a tuxedo. The conductor will be wearing this too, so you need to match it.”

“Tuxedo? Are you talking about those penguin clothes?”

“Yeah.”

He had not imagined that he would have to wear penguin clothing, but he could not express his aversion. He could in Yoon Kwang Hun’s face the heart of parents buying suits for their children when they graduate from high school to go to college, or when they land their first jobs.

“Jun Hyuk, what are you doing? Hurry up and change. You have to start getting your makeup done. There isn’t even an hour until your performance.”

One of the staff members brought two people in charge of makeup to Jun Hyuk.

“Has Teacher Hwang Suk Min arrived?”

“Yeah. He’s with the orchestra members. Why? Do you need to meet him?”

“No. Have you seen the clothes they’re wearing?”

“Clothes? All of the orchestra members were wearing suits and the conductor was wearing a tuxedo. Why? You have a tuxedo too.”

“Oh… I see.”

He had no choice but to wear clothing like a penguin. And the torture of having to paint his face was waiting for him.

***

The performances continued in turn. Jessica showed a performance great enough for her agency to push for her to become the winner.

She showed that she had gone through rigorous training by releasing colorful vocals, and her stage manners did not fall short of established artists.

 

The judges praised her highly and only Lee Sung Chul pointed out a small flaw as had been indicated on the script.

“If the variation is too excessive in R&B, it feels forced. You don’t sing to show off.”

Lee Hae Jun who was the only other participant the same age as Jun Hyuk showed new potential with the dancing skills he had learned in training.

When there is someone who shows new potential, there’s also someone who is unable to show even half of their skills. Nam Seung Hee could not show the fortes of her voice while she was trying to express the merriness of the original song. She was caught up in the thought that she needed to sing easily and lightly and was unable to show her true colors. As she kept singing in a way that she herself could not be satisfied with, her voice grew smaller further into the second half. It felt as though she had stopped singing in the middle.

Nam Seung Hee had been expecting a low score, but wanted to cry when judge Lee Eun Jin commented that the song selection might have been a miss. The broadcast station had chosen the song to make her sing. She also thought of Jun Hyuk’s view that she fit better with ballads.

As a result, she left the stage after receiving a score that barely reached over 80.

“The next person is Kwak Hye Sung, who has an explosive voice. The song he will sing today is Kim Kyung Ho’s The People Who Make Me Sad.”

When the MC’s introduction ended, footage was revealed while Kwak Hye Sung stood on the center of the stage, refining his breath.

The sad lyrics of the song that made Kim Kyung Ho famous were overwhelmed by his knife-like treble. There was a point that everyone anticipated from Kwak Hye Sung – instead of Kim Kyung Ho’s treble that was like a fine knife, his heavy and explosive voice. The judges and audience did not have different expectations.

But as the first verse ended and the chorus began, Kwak Hye Sung’s sound began to change little by little. When he reached the high-pitched part, he burst out in a delicate high tone that did not fall behind the original singer’s.

The audience and judges were surprised by the voice that did not seem like it would ever come from the large body. There was another person who was most surprised.

“Is that jerk crazy? What is this?”

The very first person to be surprised was the music director. A completely different technique had come out than he had shown in rehearsal and while recording the track.

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. I think he’s improvising…..”

“Is he stupid? He should’ve practiced like this in rehearsal. The broadcast isn’t a joke.”

However, there was also a person who had to be cool-headed in this situation. Kim Ki Sik left the sound to the music director and was keeping an eye on the video.

 

“Camera 3. Take 2 seconds. Get Lee Sung Chul’s face – his surprised expression.”

The image of Lee Sung Chul sticking his tongue out filled the monitor.

“Okay. Number 1 main again.”

When the chorus was repeated, Kwak Hye Sung’s heavy tone overwhelmed the audience. It was a performance that made everyone feel as though there were two people singing.

When the song finished, the audience sent lavish applause and Kwak Hye Sung looked bright. He had no regrets left. He knew that he had shown the skill he already had along with everything he had learned until now. He was able to listen to the judge’s evaluation calmly.

Lee Sung Chul held the mic and hesitated for a moment,

“Um… Kwak Hye Sung showed a completely different color from what was expected with this song. We had been expecting an explosive and heavy vocals, but we did not know that we would get to hear unrestrained trebles of various techniques.”

As Lee Sung Chul’s expression looked as though he was going to keep praising Kwak Hye Sung, Producer Kim Ki Sik reminded him,

“Sung Chul, Hye Sung is going to be eliminated. Wrap it up.”

Lee Sung Chul heard Kim Ki Sik’s desperate request and continued,

“However, it was apparent in the second half that you were singing without the ability to handle the sudden change in technique. If a singer can’t digest it perfectly, it results in it comng out awkwardly. My score is…..”

“Senior Lee, give him praises.”

Lee Eun Jin followed the producer’s request that he heard in her earphone.

“I actually received it well. It was inexperienced and there were mistakes, but I would like to praise Kwak Hye Sung just for showing potential. My score is…..”

The score was low compared to the audience reaction, but Kwak Hye Sung did not care. He was more satisfied with this song than he was with any of the other songs that he had shown until now.

MC Moon Kyung Min refined his voice as he looked at the audience full of excitement,

“The 1st live broadcast of Tomorrow’s Star. The last participant to grace the stage is the famous Jang Jun Hyuk. The next stage is a completely different type of performance that has never been seen in the 5 seasons of Tomorrow’s Star. It’s an instrumental, without singing.”

“Cue footage insert.”


	85. Chapter 85

Volume 2 / Chapter 85

TL: LightNovelCafe

On the large screen and TV monitor behind the stage, scenes of Jun Hyuk’s rehearsal and his image performing multiple instruments in Jo Hyung Joong’s recording studio came out.

Meanwhile, a float appeared behind the stage and 60 orchestra members took position on the dark stage.

“Lights!”

Kim Ki Sik suddenly turned the lights on with a signal, and the conductor and Jun Hyuk slowly came up from either side of the stage wearing tuxedos. As soon as they appeared, all of the orchestra members stood up and showed courtesy to the conductor and pianist. The audience exploded in greater applause than they had shown until now, and the staff were running around trying to quiet them.

The two men bowed lightly toward the audience and shook hands. Hwang Suk Min stood on the podium in front of the orchestra, and Jun Hyuk sat in front of the grand piano.

 

As soon as Jun Hyuk sat down in front of the piano, the audience became silent.

When Hwang Suk Min held the baton up exaggeratedly, the audience stopped breathing for a moment. The baton was controlling not only the performers, but also the audience.

When he moved his baton, the rest that Jun Hyuk had so demanded was expressed and the audience let out their breath when the first note came out.

The strings, winds, and piano appeared. There was applause at the introduction beginning with force. When Jun Hyuk played the piano on top of the smooth and low cello sound, a few people in the audience began murmuring the lyrics as though recalling memories.

The music grew more and more elaborate.

Practicing and playing in a concert with an audience were markedly different. The audience’s gazes and applause, their energy changes the performers. Performers who cannot get past this wither, while those who are able to accept all of it, become more ambitious.

Hwang Suk Min intended to show the best performance and used his baton to steadily raise the tempo. Jun Hyuk felt the tempo change suddenly and looked at Hwang Suk Min.

 

The provoking smile that Hwang Suk Min had shown upon their first meeting.

Jun Hyuk understood the conductor’s demand and raised his tempo. When he started the climax, he was standing up and playing the piano. When the violin played the guitar solo played by Kim Sae Hwang in the original, Jun Hyuk’s fingers became even faster.

Producer Kim Ki Sik filled the screens with a close-up of Jun Hyuk’s fingers.

Hwang Suk Min ignored the two times they repeated the chorus in rehearsal and repeated it four times, dragging out Jun Hyuk’s piano endlessly and the violinists had to move their bows in a frenzy as though their strings would break.

The TV editing was as brilliant as the music was elaborate, displaying the orchestra’s grandeur.

After Hwang Suk Min and Jun Hyuk played the last note as they met eyes, they were panting. In the control room, Kim Ki Sik was panting along with them.

 

If it had been a recorded broadcast, he would have been able to produce a screen layout far more thrilling than an action movie… His face was full of regret.

When a performance that was supposed to be 5 minutes long ended after 6 minutes, the audience and judges were giving a standing ovation.

The audience’s endless cheering and clapping showed who the main of today’s show was. The MC had no choice but to bring conductor Hwang Suk Min to Jun Hyuk’s side while he was waiting for the judges’ commentary. When Hwang Suk Min appeared on the stage again, the applause became louder. He gave a smile of satisfaction as he took Jun Hyuk’s hand, and they greeted the audience once more.

“An instrumental without lyrics falls short in delivery. However, I believe that Jun Hyuk showed his inherent power to the audience with the melody and harmony of the piano, rather than delivering a message. I enjoyed it very much.”

Continuing from Yoon Jung Su, two judges only had compliments to give. There needed to be a villain to create balance however. The villain role was taken on by Son Jin Young.

“The music was so perfect that there are no flaws to point out. Though Jun Hyuk’s ability does play a part, it is true that you piggybacked on the emotion that an orchestra invokes. We cannot leave out the aspect that if you had done a piano solo without the orchestra, you would not have been able to create a piece of this standard. We need to consider this in order to make a fair judgment. My score is…..”

The cheering continued each time a score was revealed.

“That was Jang Jun Hyuk, who is the only participant today to receive over 90 points from all of the judges. As such, the judges’ scores have been finalized. Now, your votes will decide the fates of the 12 participants. Please enter your last votes while watching these highlight videos.”

 

On MC Moon Kyung Min’s encouragement, the highlight videos came on and advertisements aired.

“Performances of the top 12. We will end the voting soon.”

MC Moon Kyung Min announced the eliminations in a tone full of suspense,

“Participant number 4, Nam Seung Hee. Number 9, Kwak Hye Sung. These two people are the first eliminations. Please give them a round of applause.”

When the announcement was over, Nam Seung Hee burst out in tears and Kwak Hye Sung looked calm.

Jun Hyuk’s first performance ended like this.

***

After the performances, another stage of happiness and sadness was to open. After today’s stage, there was only one person backstage who was happy. It was Jun Hyuk.

The participants thought it unfair that Jun Hyuk went last and had an orchestra backing him up.

Jessica was especially shocked because she thought that she had shown a perfect performance. She was nervous that she would not be able to win no matter how well she sang because the text votes were always in favor of Jun Hyuk.

The broadcast station did not reveal the texted vote results to the public, but the participants heard it from the crew. They would have also alerted each of their agencies to this as well. Jun Hyuk had taken over a whopping 78% of the votes.

 

Jun Hyuk was not happy because of the favorable results. It was because he had felt the power provided by an audience for the first time. He had been able to feel that the audience gave their bodies to his music and had been impressed by it.

The fact that there was someone listening to his music gave him happiness incomparable to that of performing with the orchestra.

There were two other people who were immersed in happiness. One was Producer Kim Ki Sik. Though he had been apprehensive, his first attempt at an instrumental had been a huge success. When he received an encouraging call from the director of the station, he could guess that the viewer ratings were phenomenal. S

The other person was conductor Hwang Suk Min. He felt he had discovered a born performer with a perfect performance on a first live stage, and his ability to accept and keep the flow going even with a sudden change.

“Jun Hyuk, there’s somewhere you have to go with me tomorrow.”

“Where?”

“Let’s go meet the most recognized pianist I know in our country. I was going to take you once the program was over, but I can’t wait any longer.”

Jun Hyuk must have become curious at the mention of the best pianist, because he nodded his head delightedly.

Hwang Suk Min rushed to find Producer Kim Ki Sik who was enjoying the aftertaste of the performance. Kim Ki Sik also ran to Hwang Suk Min as soon as he saw him.

“Ah, teacher. Thank you for today’s performance. We were able to create a lively stage because of you. Thank you so much.”

“It’s no problem. Jun Hyuk made the stage what it was. All we did was provide the accompaniment.”

After they exchanged courtesies, Hwang Suk Min said the reason he had sought out Producer Kim.

“Producer, the next stage is in a week?”

“Yes. It’s every Thursday.”

“Then can I borrow Jun Hyuk tomorrow morning?”

“Tomorrow? Why do you need him?”

“Oh, there’s a music professor who would like to meet Jun Hyuk.”

“Jun Hyuk? Is this because of the piano?”

“Yes. He won’t have time?”

“Oh, it’s okay. But… can a camera follow you?”

He did not know where Hwang Suk Min was taking Jun Hyuk, but it was a producer’s instinct. They need to film it whatever it is. He needs to follow the cardinal rule that scenes result from editing banal things.

“A camera?”

“Yes. It’s nothing really. We want to use it for broadcasting material. It won’t be at a level to be an interference.”

“Oh, I guess…..”

“Yes, then I’ll tell Jun Hyuk. Then can we meet here at the broadcast station tomorrow morning?”

“Let’s do that. I’ll be here by 9.”


	86. Chapter 86

Volume 2 / Chapter 86

TL: LightNovelCafe

The next day, Hwang Suk Min took Jun Hyuk to the Korean Music Conservatory in order to meet Jeon Hye Jin. When they opened a classroom door and entered, an average looking middle-aged woman fussed over Hwang Suk Min.

“Goodness. It’s really been a long time, Teacher Hwang. Hasn’t it?”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin saw Jun Hyuk come in after, and quickly let go of Hwang Suk Min’s hand.

“Oh goodness. If I had known you were going to bring such a good looking young man, I would have taken more care. I wore just anything today. I thought he was going to be a baby when I heard he was 17, but isn’t he a model? I guess I’ll have to buy Teacher Hwang a drink. Ho ho ho.”

Jun Hyuk had followed Hwang Suk Min here full of expectations for the best female pianist in Korea. But his first impression was of a common chatty old woman.

 

“Isn’t it a scam if he’s good at playing piano with this face?”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin stopped talking and stared at Jun Hyuk blankly, holding his hands.

“Why did you learn to play the piano? To get girls? You look like girls would get in line even if you didn’t play the piano.”

Jun Hyuk could not endure it any longer and tried to pull his hands away, but Professor Jeon Hye Jin did not let him. She was gripping his hands with strength.

“Are you really a professor of piano?”

“Why? I don’t seem like it?”

“No. You speak too much like an old neighborhood woman.”

“What? I’m chatty because I’m an old lady. Anyway, sit here.”

 

Professor Jeon Hye Jin led Jun Hyuk by the hand to sit on the sofa, and sat down right next to him. She had not yet released his hands.

Professor Jeon Hye Jin who had been touching his hands examined his fingertips.

“This isn’t the hand of a pianist. Seeing your rough fingertips, it seems you play stringed instruments, and with your calloused palms, you play the drums too. Your calluses are severe where you hold the sticks.”

It was certain that this was not an old woman who could be seen anywhere. She was able to identify exactly which instruments he played just by looking at his palms.

“Since you play the drums, the string instrument is guitar? Do you play pop music? Band?”

Hwang Suk Min must have thought that nothing would be left of Jun Hyuk’s hands if left alone, because he cut in,

 

“Ah, this kid is a little hot these days. He’s appearing on an audition program right now.”

She had occasionally seen idol musicians on TV and wondered what they had eaten to grow so well, but the child that Teacher Hwang brought made her thoughts exceed even that.

“Really? Is he going to become an idol? He seems like he could be and more.”

She finally looked around her and discovered the VJ holding a camera.

“Hey, mister. Please turn off the camera, or leave the room. Even if I look like this, I think of modeling importantly. Quickly!”

The VJ lingered at Jeon Hye Jin’s sudden yelling, and shut off his camera when Hwang Suk Min gave him a look.

“I… I’m sorry, professor. It’s because the program he’s appearing on is not over yet.”

As Hwang Suk Min cautiously explained the situation, Professor Jeon Hye Jin’s face relaxed.

“Is that so? Then camera man.”

“Yes, professor.”

“Film at an angle so you don’t get my face. What can I do when this is your job.”

The VJ bowed his head and held the camera again.

“So, you said you’re Jang Jun Hyuk?”

“Yes.”

“There’s no need to talk. Should we hear your piano first? Since Teacher Hwang said that you’re a gem, you must be so. Let’s see what time of gem you are.”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin bolted from the sofa and pulled Jun Hyuk up.

“Should we head to the practice room?”

Students passing by them in the hall greeted Professor Jeon Hye Jin, and when they saw Jun Hyuk, they created a greater fuss than the professor had.

“Oh my goodness, it’s Jang Jun Hyuk!”

“Really? Why is Jang Jun Hyuk at our school? I saw the broadcast yesterday.”

“Is it a mission?”

The students who had found Jun Hyuk were busy texting their friends to let them know about this, and some students began taking pictures and filming videos.

Students began to gather behind Jun Hyuk as he made his way to the practice room.

 

“I guess you’re popular, seeing as how those kids are making such a big deal.”

Jun Hyuk shrugged in embarrassment and walked faster. After they went into an empty practice room, Professor Jeon Hye Jin glared at the students to warn them from entering.

“If you guys make a peep, I’m going to increase the assignment pieces by 10.”

At the professor’s threat, the babbling students shut their mouths.

“It’s finally quiet.”

There was a grand piano on one side of the practice room.

The professor pointed Jun Hyuk toward the piano with a glance.

“Can you try playing?”

Jun Hyuk sat in front of the piano and pressed a few keys.

“This needs to be tuned. A lot of it isn’t right.”

“People without talent always talk about tuning. At that state, it’s much better than you’ll see in a piano academy. Are you at a competition? Just play it. I have the ear to distinguish that much.”

Jun Hyuk looked at the professor and smirked. It was interesting to see that the chatty old lady had been replaced with a tough judge.

 

Faces of students were stuck to the window on the entry door outside the practice room.

Jun Hyuk took a deep breath and after clenching his hands, he played the piano. Schubert’s melody came from the piano.

“Stop.”

After about 3 minutes after the music started, Professor Jeon Hye Jin spoke out shortly.

“Play something else.”

Jun Hyuk looked at the professor for a moment and started playing again. A piano melody began again. This time it was Rachmaninoff.

The professor did not listen to more than 3 minutes.

“Next.”

The professor watched carefully as Jun Hyuk played Bach this time, and waited until the song was over.

When Jun Hyuk finished playing, the professor clapped lightly.

“It’s good, really. My ears got a treat today. I enjoyed it.”

The professor motioned for the students who had been listening outside to enter,

“You guys heard that? Tell me what you think. Since you guys got to listen to this great performance for free, don’t you think you need to give your evaluation?”

However, none of the students spoke. The professor tsked at the silent students.

“Oy, you’re all dense. All you want to do is take pictures with him, right? If you don’t know, get out. They said he’s only played the piano for 2 years. What’s wrong with you guys who have all been playing for over 10 years? If you don’t have playing skills, you need to at least gear your ears.”

One female student worked up the courage to speak,

“I think he changes with each song. As though it isn’t one person playing these songs, but a few people switching off? That’s the feeling I got.”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin looked at the student and smiled slightly,

 

“Well there’s at least one person whose ears are open. You get an A this semester. You don’t need to hear my lectures. Come to my office a little later to tell me your name and ID. Everyone get out.”

The professor turned to Jun Hyuk who was still sitting at the piano after kicking everyone out again.

“The Schubert piano was Dinu Lipatti? The Japanese version of the album that EMI Records released?”

“Yes.”

“Rachmaninoff was Van Cliburn from RCA Records. Bach was Glenn Gould from SONY.”

“Yes.”

“Are you able to express any famous pianist exactly?”

“I’m just roughly copying them.”

Jun Hyuk thought that she would be able to identify whichever pianist he played. Was she not the best female pianist in Korea? If she did not know that, her fame would be for nothing. But he did not know that she would be able to say the exact record in one try.

In fact, the professor’s surprise was due to the fact that Jun Hyuk had reproduced performances from famous pianists’ records without any mistakes. Most pianists were able to imitate another pianist’s style. But there were few people who could play the piano in a way that invoked the record itself.

“Roughly? If that was rough, all pianists in Korea need to stick their noses in dishwater and die. You can reproduce the performances of maestros just by playing roughly? This is. I have no words.”

Looking at the professor’s surprised face, Jun Hyuk could not hide his pride.

“You’ve taken lessons from an expert, right? For someone who is self-educated, you don’t have very many bad habits.”

She checked minor habits while he was playing the piano? Jun Hyuk was surprised again.

“Yes. From Professor Go Sae Won for 2 years.”

“What? From Go Sae Won? Go Sae Won isn’t one to stay still when you’re copying like this. What on earth did he teach you?”

Jun Hyuk felt again that the world of classical was small. He was positive they were close by the way she referred to him by his name, without a nominal. To say that everyone was connected by one degree of separation.

 

“I met with Professor Go Sae Won once a week. If he assigned a song, I played it… and he just watched as I played. Then if a bad habit came out, he would point it out… and that was it.”

“Without evaluating the way you play the piano or after listening?”

“No. He never said anything like that.”

“That’s strange. Why did he do that?”

It was a training method she could not understand in piano lessons. If it were Professor Go Sae Won who had studied abroad, he would have insisted on expressing a pianist’s originality. But for someone like this to end it after pointing out bad habits?

“Well that’s something I can just ask about.”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin put the question behind her and began to talk about the results of examining a gem.

“What a waste. If you had started playing the piano before your fingers were developed, you would have become an incredible pianist. It’s really a waste.”

The professor went from looking at Jun Hyuk with surprise, to regret.

“Is it your dream to become a pianist?”

“No, it’s not.”

“That’s a relief. If it was, you would have just wasted 2 years. And you’re too old. If you’re 17, that’s the age when you should be preparing for competitions.”

Professor Hwang Suk Min finally realized what had been bothering him while he was listening to the two people speak. It was this.

“I see. He has the ability to replicate anyone…”

Once Hwang Suk Min realized what was bothering him, Professor Jeon Hye Jin put up a finger.

“That’s it. He doesn’t have a piano style of his own. Since he was listening to CDs of the greats and learning on his own from the beginning, he was busy just following along. It is understandable.”


	87. Chapter 87

Volume 2 / Chapter 87

TL: LightNovelCafe

Hwang Suk Min also looked regrettable and could not hide it on his face. A child who should have become a world-renowned pianist became like this due to his environment.

“What if he had met a proper teacher at a young age and was able to perform freely instead of imitating others? By now, he would have been world-class, recognized internationally. He would have made people like Lang Lang and Yuja Wang jealous.”

“Professor, is it too late?”

“Late? It’s already impossible. Assessing on skill only, he’ll hear that he’s a pretty great pianist now. But world-class is impossible. A pianist who lacks, no does not have originality, cannot stand on the top.”

Does not have originality? Hwang Suk Min thought of when he played Shin Hae Chul’s song for the first time with his orchestra. He had thought that it could never be a copy with the wild ferocity that was unleashed occasionally. However, his thoughts were cut off at Professor Jeon Hye Jin’s continued words,

“The bigger issue is ‘self-education’.”

“Self-education?”

“You studied composition and command, so you may not have felt it as much. But does a wall not exist just because we can’t see it? In this world, there’s an invisible wall that hits the sky high. Especially in the world of pianos, which are the king of instruments and violins, the protagonists of orchestras.”

A high, invisible wall that exists in the world of classical. Hwang Suk Min could vaguely understand what Jeon Hye Jin was talking about.

 

“Pianists must go through competitions. They’re showing themselves to the world through these competitions. If you look at world-renowned pianists now, they all put forth their wins first.”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin pointed to herself as she spoke,

“Look at me. I still make a living off of coming in 3rd place in the Long Thibaud Competition in 1975.”

She was not bragging, but rather there was a hint of self-chastising.

“Competitions are decided by judges, not fan votes.”

Strict judges of nations the competitions are held in. Fairness was in the titles that these judges held. Impressive careers and positions were important in making sure people had no choice but to recognize them as judges. However, it was difficult to believe that the judges’ assessment methods were based on the pianists’ ‘skills’ only.

 

“Do you think they’ll advance a child who was self-educated without a teacher? If a child who taught himself wins, won’t the word ‘lesson’ become meaningless? If I have talent, I don’t need lessons! This is something that can’t be said no matter what. The people controlling the world of piano will have their positions shaken or taken away if there are no lessons.”

This is not something that is only applicable to the world of piano. Vested interests that exist everywhere do not welcome collapse.

“Piano makers, whatever printer selling the scores that pour out, university reputations, the recording industry, sponsors and their nations. The pandemonium of all of these combined is what creates competitions. Piano is just a part of the business anyway.”

It was hard for Hwang Suk Min to understand the pandemonium Jeon Hye Jin spoke of. He is just an average person who does not have the skills to enter the world of this pandemonium.

 

“But to recognize a child who appeared out of nowhere? It can’t happen. That’s denying the business itself.”

If Jun Hyuk were to be recognized in the world of piano, it would mean talent is everything. There was no need to practice with a good piano and there was no reason to get lessons from eminent pianists. University? With countless people who prove their talent with self-education, those who pay the expensive tuition to attend university are admitting that they do not have talent.

Recognizing a genius with born talent could make all of this collapse at the same time. Geniuses are only recognized when they shine because of direction they have received. Denying the industry itself is something that cannot happen.

“And he says that becoming a pianist isn’t his dream so… I guess it doesn’t matter.”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin took a glance at Jun Hyuk who had been listening to their conversation.

“If he does decide to put everything into piano now… he’s good enough that any great pianist will want to work with him… so I guess it could be possible. If he works hard under a famous person for about 5 years, I do think the possibility is sufficient. But will that be necessary? He’ll become a huge star if he does pop music, so will it be necessary to go through all the hard work?”

“But still, isn’t it such a waste?”

“I don’t think it’s such a waste with the cameras that are already on him and seeing our students fawn over him. There are many paths. Right now, it’s important that he does music. If it’s his path, it’ll happen somehow.”

Not everyone expects the spotlight just because they have the talent. Professor Jeon Hye Jin had seen many people who had born talent but turned off the light because their environment or first step had gone wrong. The fate resulting from time and place. Without that, it would just be a degenerated light.

 

However, Jun Hyuk had already put his foot in music. It seemed he was going to continue in music no matter what.

Honestly, Professor Jeon Hye Jin thought Jun Hyuk a waste. His age was most regrettable. Age 17 was the time to bloom in the world of piano. Rumors of identity begin and one must prepare to come out to the world.

It is to the point where the most famous competition in the world, Poland’s Chopin Piano Competition, opens once every 5 years. Even people with luck were only given two opportunities.

“Before you go, leave me your signature.”

“Excuse me?”

“My daughter goes nuts about celebrities. I’m going to give it to her.”

Jeon Hye Jin winked as she laughed. She had returned as a playful old woman from a strict pianist and professor.

Jun Hyuk gained courage from this friendly appearance to ask a question,

“But do you play the piano well?”

“Me? You don’t know who I am?”

Jeon Hye Jin was so taken aback that she was speechless. This kid who had done everything she told him to do had not know who she was?

“No. I don’t have a CD. I just assumed you’re the best because Teacher Hwang said you are.”

 

Jun Hyuk did not want to leave like this. He had never heard Jeon Hye Jin’s piano, but he thought that she would be incredible from the way she had been so shrewd until now.

“I’m famous! My concert ticket power is 1st place in our country for piano. And… how much does a CD cost that you didn’t buy mine? This inconsiderate kid. Ho ho.”

Jeon Hye Jin laughed heartily and approached Jun Hyuk.

“Very well. I’ll play too since I did hear yours for free.”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin sat in front of the piano and began to play the 2nd part of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata Pathetiqe No. 8. This is a sonata that Beethoven named, “Grande Sonate Pathetique”. The 2nd part is characterized by a relaxed and beautiful melody, and it is often seen as one of this most solemn and alluring pieces. It was used often in popular music with its short and sturdy configuration.

Britain’s mezzo-soprano singer, Louise Tucker, arranged this into a pop song ‘Midnight Blue’, which was received well by the public.

“How was it?”

When Professor Jeon Hye Jin winked as she laughed, Jun Hyuk put his thumb up.

“Goodness, really?”

“Yes. Your force is awesome.”

“What? This isn’t a song that uses strength. Why do you say my force is awesome when I played this delicately and gently?”

“No matter how beautiful a knife is, you can’t hide how sharp it is. I think your strength will show even if you played a lullaby. Sleeping babies will all wake up.”

“Ho ho. You’re able to see all of that at once? Huh. Thinking about it again, it is a waste.”

Jun Hyuk could guess what the professor meant was being wasted. He had listened to the entirety of their conversation. He could fully understand that there were complicated issues involved in his becoming a pianist. And he did not have a particular longing to become a pianist.

“It’s okay if I don’t become a pianist. Instead, if I make a proper piano song, I’ll think of you as the first performer.”


	88. Chapter 88

Volume 2 / Chapter 88

TL: LightNovelCafe

“What? Do you compose as well?”

“Yes.”

“Really? Do you want to play something? Something you wrote.”

Jun Hyuk sat in front of the piano without hesitation. He shook his stiff fingers a few times and started playing the piano.

Plink~ plink.

The song began with a repetition of two simple notes that continued for a time. After he sped up and built suspense, there was the hearty sound of the piano filling the room.

The sound that filled the room disappeared in moments as though it was sucked back into the piano, and the song ended with one low note that laid across the ground.

 

Professor Jeon Hye Jin who had been drunk in the sound of the piano for 2 minutes clapped and rubbed Jun Hyuk’s face, pulling him into a hug.

“Impressive. There really was something else so you don’t have to become a pianist.”

“But… this is a little.”

An old woman making contact was uncomfortable not just for Jun Hyuk, but for any teenage boy. Jun Hyuk tried to wriggle out, but the old woman was strong.

“What? This is when I get to hug a handsome young man.”

Professor Hwang Suk Min did not hide his surprise either.

 

“I thought it was impressive when I saw you arrange a song, but I guess that was nothing. Goodness. There really was something else.”

Jun Hyuk was delighted with their compliments and spoke,

“Was it okay?”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin put her thumb up as Jun Hyuk had,

“This is the first time I’ve heard such a lively song since Chopin’s Dog Waltz. It’s amazing.”

Hwang Suk Min still looked surprised when he spoke,

“What’s the title of this song?”

“A Scherzo for you who has difficulty eating a meal.”

“What? It’s difficult to eat a meal? What does this mean?”

 

“I wrote this while watching a stray cat tear open a garbage bag to eat.”

“What? Stray cat? Ha ha. It’s the perfect title. You have great sense as well.”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin clapped as she began to laugh loudly. She thought the title was fun, but also liked that he could create music from such trivial matters.

Jun Hyuk recalled when he created this song.

A stray cat that had been watching a garbage bag from under a parked car in front of the cafe. It needed to be swift and alert to seek its prey as if a wild beast, keeping watch all around it.

“Why did it end all of a sudden?”

Hwang Suk Min was asking in analysis as a conductor does,

“A cat doesn’t run away even if a person appears while it’s eating garbage. It stops eating and watches the person until it can check whether the person is just passing by or is going to chase it away.”

“I see. I looked at you wondering why it ended so suddenly… It’s a song that made the audience into the cat.”

“Oh! If you felt that way, it’s a success. He he.”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin sat next to a Jun Hyuk who was laughing in satisfaction.

“Alright, so you’re appearing in an audition program right now?”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to be a singer when that’s over? Like an idol?”

“No, I can’t be a singer because I can’t sing.”

“You seem like you have no intention on becoming a singer.”

“Pretty much. There are a lot of good singers.”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin lightly hit her head. She could see this surprising child’s profile.

“So, instruments are just tools you need when making songs? Whether it’s the piano, guitar, or drums.”

“Yes.”

“I thought wrong. You weren’t just copying what you heard from CDs. You wanted to know what it would be like for a world-renowned pianist to play your song… You wanted to know that feeling, and to hear it yourself… So you cloned those pianists. Right?”

“Yes. That’s impressive. Really.”

Jun Hyuk was sincere in his admiration. He started to see this playful old woman, who could hear his self-composed song once and figure out his intentions, in a different light. He thought that he would need to purchase Professor Jeon Hye Jin’s CD and listen to it.

“Go Sae Won didn’t say anything because he also knew this. Then let me ask one thing. Why don’t you play the piano in your own style?”

 

“I don’t know. I don’t think I have my own style. For each song, there exists a pianist who can play it best. Those people’s performances are much better. That’s why I copy them. If I play it in my own way, it doesn’t sound very good… and it kind of sounds like I’m ruining the song…..”

“I think that’s just a difference between individuality and expression. Who plays better or worse is meaningless. Each has individuality.”

“Even if there’s individuality, I’m sure we would only pick one person if we had to choose. Regardless of individuality, a better pianist exists.”

“You only pursue the best? I don’t know if you’re arrogant or if you’re confident… You’re impressive.”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin had a feeling that she had guessed one of her thoughts precisely. This child could not live without music.

“Alright. I’ll be anticipating the music you’ll make from now on. Feel free to contact me if you need anything. I’ll help you in any way I can.”

Her expression and tone showed that she said this out of sincerity and not courtesy. Hwang Suk Min may have brought Jun Hyuk here for him to hear those words.

“Also, make sure you go to the hospital every month to get a check-up. The body is everything for a musician. You can’t have something happen to your hand. You have to keep checking while you’re healthy. For someone like you who plays multiple instruments, your hands are bound to deteriorate first.”

“Oh, okay.”

“No, I’ll contact the hospital. You go when they call you.”

Jun Hyuk politely gave the professor his farewell and left. When he came outside with Hwang Suk Min, the hall was full of students who had heard the rumor and gathered. Everyone had their phones out to take pictures of Jun Hyuk.

“These kids! Practice like this.”

After Professor Jeon Hye Jin yelled at the students, she grabbed a student and brought him back into the practice room.

“Tell me about that kid who just left. What kind of kid is he?”

“Professor, you don’t know?”

“I’m asking because I don’t know.”

The student told her about Jun Hyuk’s past, participation on the audition program, and the issue that created news online.

***

After the 1st live stage was over, Producer Kim Ki Sik went to Yoon Jung Su’s recording studio.

“Jung Su, I heard Jang Na Rae’s track and it’s so good. Even our music director said he predicts she’ll be 1st place this week.”

“It’s great, right? I was really surprised too.”

“I heard you offered to scout her.”

“Yeah, but I told her to think about it more. She might get other offers after the 2nd performance goes out.”

Kim Ki Sik brought up a difficult favor,

“Can you just scout her? Jang Na Rae is going to be eliminated this week. Save me.”

“Jang Na Rae was this week? I was under the impression she was going until the 3rd stage.”

 

“She was supposed to. Lee Hae Jun and a boy from another agency were supposed to be eliminated this week.”

“Lee Hae Jun? He’s pretty good too, but he’s getting eliminated already? That’s a waste.”

“Lee Hae Jun’s going to debut next month as an idol. He’s the main vocal there… They’re thinking it’s enough if his vocals are recognized twice on a live stage. Anyway, the agency of one of the people to be eliminated asked to have him advanced to top 8. I guess they looked into it on their own and the reaction was pretty good.”

“So you’re saying the pushover is the one without an agency.”

“Yeah. What are we to do? But listening to her track, it’s so good it’s a waste to eliminate her.”

If Jang Na Rae does not make a mistake, she could give the best performance. But if she is eliminated? The viewer protest would be fierce. Though of course it would not go for more than one week.

Producer Kim was not against eliminating Jang Na Rae because of the viewer reaction. He was just struggling to keep the program alive.

“Signing a contract immediately is difficult. I’m thinking of training her slowly. Since she’s young, she might want to gain popularity quickly. If that’s what she’s thinking, I can’t sign her on.”

Yoon Jung Su was looking far into Jang Na Rae’s future. Enough to flatly refuse Producer Kim’s request.

“What happened with Jun Hyuk?”

“Jun Hyuk? Damn, I gave up too. The 3rd round is the last. He needs to get ready for the 4th performance, but he’s saying he hasn’t finished for the 3rd. I can tell he has no intention of doing anymore.”

“Producer Kim, you must be having a hard time.”

It was obvious what would happen if Jun Hyuk who had been the reason for high viewer ratings left. Producer Kim needed to prepare for that.

“Is he going to sing?”

Yoon Jung Su could not hide his curiosity. From the way Jun Hyuk had directed Jang Na Rae, he instinctively knew how to express with vocals.

“I told you, I gave up. Whatever he does, the 3rd round is the end.”

“But his track record is great, right?”

“Yeah. His mission songs from the preliminaries are good too, but his piano from the live performance is incredible. It’s topping all the charts. But I think the two versions of Kanon are the biggest waste. Especially the rock version. If we had aired edited parts of him playing all of the instruments like a music video, it would have sold better than this round’s piano song.”

“Why didn’t you do it?”

“We don’t have the rights to that. No one thought of this kind of situation. We didn’t show the whole song on air… and it’s just footage anyway.”

Producer Kim looked as if he had lost out on something big.

“Oh right. Hyung Joong has an agreement for those two versions of Kanon.”

“What? Hyung Joong? Really?”

Yoon Jung Su’s eyes widened in surprise. For Jo Hyung Joong who only composes and produces to get involved in distribution issues meant that he was that confident in Jun Hyuk’s music.

“Yeah. He handed a blank check to Jun Hyuk’s lawyer to tell him to write the price of the songs.”

“Really? That cheap man? It’s no joke. Well… he did listen to it himself.”

“Yeah. They agreed to go half and half in the end. I’m pretty sure they’ll release the songs as soon as Jun Hyuk is eliminated. They got footage from our station as well.”

“I guess Jun Hyuk is a goose that lays golden eggs.”

“I’m pretty sure it’ll be wild. Jun Hyuk will be able to make $200,000 or $300,000 in six months.”

“The viewer ratings will plummet once Jun Hyuk is out. The kids this season are pretty much the same.”

“That’s why I’m asking you for this favor. I’m trying to make Jang Na Rae popular. She needs to take Jun Hyuk’s place. I’m thinking of pushing it to a battle between Jang Na Rae and Jessica.”

“Battle? They seemed to be close. The picture seems like it would come out well.”

Two people who are close in a competition of good faith. There’s bound to be applause regardless of who loses. However, Kim Ki Sik scoffed,

“Close? They hate each other. Where are friendships on a program where they have to step over each other? We just edited it so it seems that way. They’re both clever. They pretend to care for each other whenever there’s a camera present.”

“Well… anyway, I’m sorry. Signing her on now is hard. If we rush a contract or pressure her into it, the end result isn’t good. If it’s not something she really wants, she’ll lose her will.”

Kim Ki Sik needed to create a new strategy upon Yoon Jung Su’s refusal. He needed to review the contracts to ready someone to eliminate instead of Jang Na Rae.


	89. Chapter 89

Volume 2 / Chapter 89

TL: LightNovelCafe

When the 2nd round began, MC Moon Kyung Min stood on the stage,

“The first top 10 stage progressed live a week ago. For the past week, something shocking happened. An instrumental topped a pop music chart for the first time in Korea.”

Tremendous applause exploded from the crowd. They were congratulating the win of the person they were rooting for.

“That’s right. It was Shin Hae Chul’s ‘From the Sun to the Boy’ that Jang Jun Hyuk performed. Jun Hyuk personally arranged a space rock song into a magnificent classical to sweep the charts. It was a moment for him to enter as a new music powerhouse. It became a hot topic when it was revealed that he had arranged all of the parts for the orchestra as well.”

He continued speaking after looking at the crowd’s reaction,

 

“To give you a hint, Jun Hyuk will not be singing today either. The surprising stage he will show is another point to watch for. And how far will Jun Hyuk be able to advance without singing?”

They were able to see Moon Kyung Min’s hint right away. The first stage was Jun Hyuk’s.

The stage was lit brightly with the atmosphere of a club, and six back dancers entered. However, Jun Hyuk stood in the middle of the stage and instead of moving wildly like a DJ, focused calmly on his performance.

“It’s a good thing we at least had the back dancers.”

The assistant producer spoke with a mix of self-chastisement. Producer Kim Ki Sik smirked as he watched the screen,

“It’s okay. It’s what I wanted.”

Producer Kim had prevented the music director and production team from trying to direct Jun Hyuk’s performance during the rehearsal.

Jun Hyuk would be out after the 3rd round. Now, they needed to start putting out a card that would replace Jun Hyuk. This was why they had made Jun Hyuk go first. It was hard to remember the first performance after all 10 people had gone.

 

The audience reaction was also as expected. The youths could not help but be taken aback. They wanted to enjoy the fun music they were hearing, but the stage they were looking at was calm. The imbalance between sight and hearing made it so that they could not move.

“Judges, please match the scores to low 80s.”

When the evaluation ended, MC Moon Kyung Min spoke again,

“Jun Hyuk who received the best score in the round last week was unable to receive a high score this time. It’s a situation we could not predict. I think this is the zest in a competition that is shown in a live broadcast.”

Jessica, who was Producer Kim Ki Sik’s new card, showed again that she was a strong candidate to win. Similarly Jang Na Rae, who was being pushed forward as a dark horse, went last and gave a performance that did not fall behind the quality of the recording she had done of Yoon Jung Su’s ballad.

 

As the judges gave high praises, the audience cheered. Tomorrow, there would be articles pitting the newly discovered Jang Na Rae against Jessica who is closest to the crown. Jun Hyuk could not even be mentioned. It is much easier for the public to forget someone than it is to keep thinking of them on their own.

***

“The arrangement hasn’t come out yet? I guess this mission song is hard. Ha ha.”

Jun Hyuk did not put his classic guitar down even when Kim Jong Suk said that it would be okay to go with a piano instrumental if he thought that he could not do it. He thought that if he were to play this song on the piano, it would be no different from the accompaniment in Lee So Ra’s song.

“It’s really hard to express Lee So Ra’s emotions without ‘speech’. Lee So Ra… is really an impressive vocalist.”

‘It’s probably hard to express ‘that day’ and not Lee So Ra.’

Kim Jong Suk did not think that he would be of any help to Jun Hyuk even if he spoke more. He confessed the last feeling that he had,

“Jun Hyuk.”

“Yes.”

“Did you catch on to the fact that I’m trying to force you to sing?”

“Yes. I thought so.”

“There’s only one reason why I tried to get you to sing. I’m not expecting Mozart’s Figaro’s Wedding from you, but hoping for an oldie like John Lennon’s Imagine.”

He meant for Jun Hyuk to consider pop music as well and not just classical.

 

“Pop music has a shorter history than classical does. Mozart’s music has been played for 250 years, but is there something that says the Beatles’ music won’t do the same? It’s already been 50 years since ‘Yesterday’ came out. But doesn’t it still get a lot of love? I can bet it’ll still be popular 200 years later. When it’s only 2 minutes long.”

The reason why a 2 minute song with a simple melody was able to bring such emotion was Paul McCartney’s voice and lyrics.

“You don’t have to have amazing vocals. John Lennon isn’t an amazing singer. Look at Bob Dylan who is called a bard. He just throws the lyrics.”

When Jun Hyuk had given other participants help on the program, he had not paid attention to the lyrics. All he had done was help find the best way for them to express with the voice that they had.

“You need to see the emotion of a singer rather than the technical aspects of producing, composing, and directing. I wish you would try feeling that emotion while singing. That way, an oldie will come out. If you sing this with sincerity, you’ll know what I’m talking about.”

Kim Jong Suk’s slow and concise tone indicated that he would no longer interfere.

“Fine. This is my last piece of advice. Play the accompaniment on the guitar. Calmly.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m going to try to sing it.”

“You are?”

“Why? You think I can’t sing? I’ve been making a living off of music for over 30 years. I bet I’m better than you.”

Jun Hyuk saw Kim Jong Suk laugh, and calmly played the guitar while Kim Jong Suk delivered the lyrics.

 

When the song ended, Kim Jong Suk took the guitar from Jun Hyuk’s arms.

“This time, I’ll play the accompaniment, you try singing.”

“Me?”

“Why? What’s wrong? Just think of it as if you’re at karaoke.”

Jun Hyuk sang quietly to Kim Jong Suk’s guitar. When the song ended, he must have seen how Kim Jong Suk felt on his face because he turned bright red. He had not sung well, showing how uncomfortable and unconfident he felt.

“You’re just singing to show me. Singing for others to hear are professional singers. You’re singing for the first time today. Don’t think about showing it to me, but show it to yourself. Let other people hear it when you do the broadcast.”

Kim Jong Suk pat Jun Hyuk’s shoulder and left. Talking about it any more would be unnecessary nagging. He felt relieved, but also sorry to Producer Kim Ki Sik.

“Producer Kim, it’s me.”

– Oh, teacher. Is it going well?

“Yeah. He might sing. I heard Jun Hyuk sing just now.”

– Is… that for real?

It was a voice of disbelief, and he could feel the great anticipation. Kim Jong Suk replied cautiously,

“Um… His singing isn’t very good. Don’t expect too much.”

– ….. I see. There’s nothing we can do. You worked hard.

Kim Jong Suk had thought that Producer Kim would make a fuss, but when he heard how resigned he was, he could guess that the future rounds had already been decided.

***

After hanging up the phone, Kim Ki Sik yelled out,

“Hey! Production team gather. It’s an emergency meeting.”

The production team that had gathered in the conference room was curious as to what had happened, but they did not speak when they saw Kim Ki Sik’s stern face.

 

“Everyone needs to listen to me and come back with an answer within 30 minutes. If not, you’re all dead.”

What could it be that he’s starting with a threat?

“Jun Hyuk just sang.”

The production team had not expected these words to come from Kim Ki Sik and waited for the next.

“Apparently it’s not good.”

“What?”

“It’s just average.”

Everyone was disappointed. It seems there would be no surprise or reversal.

“Well I guess he seems more human. If he could sing well with that face and that talent, he would really be a mistake from God. I’m starting to feel affection for him now that I know there’s something he can’t do.”

Assistant Producer Pil Jae could not hide his sinking feeling and laughed.

“Stop talking nonsense and think about it. What do you think we should do?”

“Jun Hyuk’s singing is a total mess?”

“I told you. It’s at an average level. Why do you have so many questions?”

If Jun Hyuk’s singing had been a hidden treasure, they would have found some way to advance him to the win. But they had lost control of the situation and Jun Hyuk himself did not have the will to keep going. The result was decided.

“Senior, let’s go with the singing.”

“He said it’s not good.”

“If we go with an instrumental, what could be different? Jun Hyuk’s performance can’t become a hot topic anymore. You saw how bad his 2nd round EDM track sales are? When Jang Na Rae was in 1st place, Jun Hyuk was above 50.”

“Well that’s a difference between a song and electronic. The consumer is different. More than a best seller at clubs, it’ll go as a steady.”

It was not only that. It would be sold to various entertainment programs and CFs.

“Isn’t Jun Hyuk done with the 3rd round? And we got a lot of track sales from the Star Week songs he did in the preliminaries. Not to mention the 1st round orchestra.”

“So what are you trying to say?”

“Viewer ratings.”

There were only two objectives for an audition program. Track sales and viewer ratings.

“He’s finally singing in the 3rd round. With this, we don’t have to worry about viewer ratings.”

“What does it matter if he can’t sing? I would actually be happier if he was tone deaf. That’s an incredible reversal. I’m sure he would gain even more popularity.”

The production team were agreement as if there was nothing left to contemplate.

“Fine. Let’s go with the viewer ratings. Send out the press release. Don’t be obvious, just let it slip.”

“Okay. There’s a rumor in the broadcasting station that Jun Hyuk might sing. You mean at this rate?”

“Yeah.”

With this, Jun Hyuk’s 3rd round elimination was decided. Jun Hyuk’s musicality was a waste, but an audition program does not exist to protect the dignity of music. It is a commercial show. They needed to be true to their field.


	90. Chapter 90

Volume 2 / Chapter 90

TL: LightNovelCafe

Jun Hyuk’s rehearsal was the subject of everyone’s urgent attention. What would his singing be like? If he was even good at singing, there would be a reversal as intense as that of ‘Sixth Sense’ and he would surely be the winner.

As soon as Jun Hyuk sang the first verse, the 7 participants gave a sigh of relief. They were also certain. There were no longer any reversals.

Jun Hyuk would be eliminated.

While everyone else was in agreement, the music director had a strange expression. He thought of Kim Jong Suk in Jun Hyuk’s song.

‘He’s really an impressive man.’

He is a producer with the ability to bring out hidden potential in unknown bands. While he had been with Jun Hyuk for the past 3 weeks, he had taught him something very important. He had shown Jun Hyuk the importance of the spoken word, which expressed emotions that the chime of instruments and beautiful melodies could not.

Jun Hyuk’s singing of murmuring was the perfect song to relay his message.

***

Jun Hyuk’s stage was simple like the atmosphere of the song.

A dark stage. A ray of pin light. Under that, Jun Hyuk sat in a chair with his guitar and sang.

 

His arpeggio chord and calm singing expressed a bittersweet emotion well.

Kim Ki Sik was slightly surprised while watching this on the monitor. The lighting director had found the perfect point. The pin lighting was showing Jun Hyuk’s song.

‘This… picture is pretty good.’

Kim Ki Sik was caught up in these thoughts for a moment when he bolted up from his seat. The screen was still and he could not hear anything.

“What is it? What’s happening?”

“That kid. He stopped the song.”

Jun Hyuk had stopped the song and there was only the sound of irregular breathing in the mic. Producer Kim knew what was happening right away. Jun Hyuk was holding back his tears.

“Hang on! Stay still. Don’t go out on the stage and don’t say anything. Hey! Connect me to the judges.”

Kim Ki Sik yelled into the mic.

“Judges, don’t make any sound and stay still. I’ll send a separate signal. Please wait.”

Assistant Producer Pil Jae held out a cellphone.

“Senior, the director called.”

“This bastard! Just hang up!”

Kim Ki Sik held the mic and without blinking, began to direct the cameras like a seasoned director,

“Number 1! Close in on Jun Hyuk’s face. No… don’t go too close. That’s right. Stop. Just like that.”

Jun Hyuk’s face filled the monitor precisely.

“Hey! Pil Jae. Time it. Tell me when 10 seconds passes… Number 3, get Yoon Jung Su’s face. That man is holding back tears too. Hurry.”

Kim Ki Sik counted to three and yelled again,

“Go back to Number 1. Jun Hyuk’s face.”

‘Tears… please just one tear…..”

It was Kim Ki Sik’s earnest plea. A true tear would touch the viewers’ hearts more than a song of Lee So Ra’s standard.

“Senior, 10 seconds!”

The assistant producer shouted.

“Okay. Kyung Min, go out and comfort Jun Hyuk.”

“Shit, what am I supposed to do?”

MC Moon Kyung Min’s swearing came through the earphone.

“I don’t know, asshole. You’re an MC. Just talk to him… and bring him backstage.”

Kim Ki Sik yelled into the mic again,

“Writer Kim! Quickly write something for Kyung Min to say and send it over to him. Give it to him when he brings Jun Hyuk backstage. Hurry!”

“Producer, I’m already writing it. Give me a second…”

 

When Jun Hyuk heard the youngest writer cry, he bolted up from his seat. He quickly bowed to the judges and audience and rushed off of the stage.

Producer Kim had prayed and prayed, but it had not worked. The camera did not catch Jun Hyuk’s tears.

“Oh damn. Kyung Min, come out! There’s no script. Ad lib it.”

“I’m going to go crazy.”

Moon Kyung Min changed his expression from annoyance to regret in an instant and went out on the stage.

“Yes… our Jang Jun Hyuk could not hold back his emotions and… he was unable to finish his song. I guess that means… he was completely immersed in the song. It also means that he sang with that much sincerity.”

“Someone help Kyung Min.”

As Kim Ki Sik’s request came through, Lee Sung Chul took the mic.

“Number 3! Film Sung Chul.”

“There are times like that. Like the MC said, there are times when the singer falls to the emotion before it is delivered to the audience. It is a pity. It is evidence that he is not yet a professional. A singer cannot forget that he is a messenger of emotions in any circumstance.”

“CM is going out.”

He had to turn on the CM to Lee Sung Chul’s comments. Everyone needed a short break.”

Yes. I see. Then we will continue with the next stage in 1 minute.”

Everyone sighed in relief as soon as the commercial went out. The production team, judges, and MC.

“Pil Jae, take the mic. Let me take a break until the next stage.”

“Okay.”

Kim Ki Sik handed his headset over to Pil Jae and went out to the hallway with a cigarette. Before he could light it however, his cellphone rang loudly.


	91. Chapter 91

Volume 3 / Chapter 91

TL: LightNovelCafe

The Director of the broadcasting station’s number came up on the ringing phone’s caller ID. Producer Kim Ki Sik picked up the call confidently.

“Hello, Director.”

“Kim Ki Sik! You jerk. Why won’t you pick up my calls!”

“I just picked up.”

“What about Jun Hyuk? Where’s that brat right now?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure he’ll be in the waiting room or something.”

 

“Ha ha ha. You did well. I was so anxious the whole time I was watching.”

“How about me? I thought I was going to die.”

“You worked hard. You can’t leave once you’re done with work today. Let’s get everyone together for dinner.”

“You can’t pay it off with alcohol. Bring me a bonus.”

“Don’t be a brat. What are you going to do now? Is Jun Hyuk out?”

“There’s nothing we can do. We need to take him out of the running. If we save him now, it wouldn’t make sense. We’ll be advertising that this isn’t an audition program.”

 

“Good. Just make sure you get a good interview today. At least get him to say why he cried.”

“Okay.”

“Keep working hard. Ha ha.”

The youngest member of the production team came running as the Director’s laughter rang over the phone with his certainty that they would have high viewer ratings.

“Producer Kim! Jun Hyuk… Jun Hyuk disappeared.”

“What?”

“He’s not in the waiting room or the bathroom.”

“I’m going to go crazy. Hurry up and find him!”

How long would these unexpected situations last? He had never been part of such a rollercoaster ride in all of the live shows he had done until now. Producer Kim Ki Sik only hoped that they could get past today safely.

***

Kim Jong Suk was lying down on the sofa in the recording studio watching TV, but got up as soon as Jun Hyuk’s song stopped. He could tell from the timbre as soon as Jun Hyuk started singing that he was not following his biological mother’s image, but her sight.

***

Yoon Kwang Hun was watching the broadcast on the large TV in the cafe and could not stay still when Jun Hyuk disappeared behind the stage. He wanted to run to the broadcasting station, but it would be over once he arrived. He could not figure out what to do and paced inside.

After hesitating for 10 minutes, he put on his jacket to leave the cafe when his phone rang loudly. An unknown phone number. He picked it up thinking that it would be an employee at the broadcasting station.

“Hello?”

Sir?

“Jun Hyuk. You… What about the broadcast? Where are you? Why is there so much noise? Whose phone number is this”

Oh, this is the taxi driver’s phone. I’m on my way to the cafe right now.

“What? Taxi? Hey! What about the broadcast?”

Oh, I don’t know. Really. The broadcast or whatever.

“Anyway, you’re saying you’re on your way to the cafe? You’re sure?”

 

Yes. And sir, please come to the cafe if you’re at home. I don’t have any money on me. The taxi will come out to a lot…..

“Don’t worry. I’m watching the broadcast at the cafe right now. Don’t worry and hurry up and get here.”

Okay.

Yoon Kwang Hun ended the call and checked the phone number again. He thought that he would need to hurry up and tell the station this. A participant disappeared. Would they be able to rectify the situation? It is a great broadcast accident.

Then the phone rang again.

“Hello?”

Ah, Mr. Yoon. I’m the youngest writer at MV. Do you remember me?

“Oh, yes. I was just about to call.”

I have something to tell you…

“You’re calling because of Jun Hyuk? Don’t worry. I just spoke to him. He said he’s on the way here in a taxi.”

Excuse me? A taxi?

“I’m really sorry. I think he was so surprised after he made an accident on live broadcast.?

Sir, wait a second. Please don’t hang up the phone.

 

He could hear someone’s cursing, grumbling, and sighing through the phone.

Sir, can’t you convince Jun Hyuk to turn the taxi around now? All we have to do is wrap it up…..

Yoon Kwang Hun could only feel sorry at the youngest writer’s cautious voice. If the kid was someone who would go back, he would not have run away in the first place.

“I’m really sorry. I’m pretty sure it’ll be hard. It’s also uncertain whether he’ll even go back on stage if he does go back.”

Yes, I see. I’ll give you a call again.

Yoon Kwang Hun hung up the phone and turned the TV on again. He did not have to worry about Jun Hyuk because he was on his way home, but he wanted to see what would happen to the broadcast.

He was sure that the sweat on MC Yoon Kyung Min’s forehead was not from the heat of the lights. He started announcing the eliminations as he stuttered.

As soon as he announced Jun Hyuk’s name, they screened the scene where his song stopped. This came along with a request to excuse his absence as he is not in a state to appear on stage.

As soon as the broadcast ended, his phone rang and he heard the youngest writer’s weak voice.

Sir, it’s me, the youngest writer.

“I’m sorry. I’m sure you had a lot of issues with the broadcast.”

No, it’s okay since we somehow wrapped it up. Oh right, sir.

“Yes.”

We need to meet Jun Hyuk tomorrow, so please convince him for us.

“Tomorrow? Can I ask why?”

Since we finished the last like this today… we thought we would at least need to get an interview to air next week.

“Oh, I see. I’m sure he’ll be compliant too since he did cause a problem.”

 

Thank you. The cafe opens at 11? Can we go looking for you before you open?

“Sure, is 9:00 okay?”

Yes. Then we will see you tomorrow.

30 minutes after he got off the phone, he could see the bright light of a car outside the cafe.

Yoon Kwang Hun paid the taxi fare and took a Jun Hyuk who could not look him in the eyes inside.

“What happened to you?”

Jun Hyuk had not been able to lift his head because he thought that he would be scolded, but looked up at Yoon Kwang Hun’s gentle voice.

“I just came. I was going to be eliminated anyway and there was no reason to stay.”

“Even so. You need to finish up the broadcast before you come.”

“Oh, I don’t know. You said it too. You told me to just quit and come back if I didn’t want to do it anymore. I guess that’s why I came.”

“Kid, did that mean you should quit and leave in the middle of a live broadcast? You should have finished up the live broadcast.”

“I can’t do it anymore. I’m embarrassed.”

“What? Embarrased? What’s embarrassing?”

“You know. I almost cried in front of the entire nation. I made myself a joke.”

“What? Are you saying you came here because you were embarrassed? You’re driving me crazy. Geez. He he.”

“Stop it. I think I’m going to go crazy. What kind of embarrassment is this… whew.”

“Did you really almost cry?”

“Ah… I’m telling you it’s real. I would’ve cried if I sat there for another second.”

Yoon Kwang Hun also had the thought that it might have been better if he had just cried his heart out. Crying is a way to shake one’s feelings.

“Alright. Well whatever happened, you worked hard.”

Yoon Kwang Hun poured two glasses of sparkling wine in the kitchen and handed one over to Jun Hyuk.

“Drink it and calm down a little.”

“Isn’t this alcohol?”

“I’m giving it to you to congratulate you on finishing the broadcast. You worked hard.”

Yoon Kwang Hun pat Jun Hyuk’s back and clinked his glass.

“I’ve never drank before.”

“This kid. You think I don’t know? I know you take beers and wine from the fridge. I just pretended I didn’t know. I drank when people weren’t looking at your age too. You’re acting like it’s something new.”

Yoon Kwang Hun saw Jun Hyuk laugh and drank his refreshing wine. Whatever had happened, Jun Hyuk had experienced a lot in a short period of time and had taken a step into society.


	92. Chapter 92

Volume 3 / Chapter 92

TL: LightNovelCafe

The writers who came from MV channel the next day were not able to get much out of the interview. No matter how relentlessly they asked for a comment on his performance, he just gave the simple response that he does not know and is sorry.

If there was anything that they got out of him, it was what was to come in the future.

“Then if an agency calls, do you intend to sign a contract and continue your activities in music?”

“Um… I don’t know about an agency. There is a promise I made with Teacher Jo Hyung Joong… We said we’d release a record.”

“A record? Then it’ll be your debut album?”

“It’s a bit much to say it’s a debut album. It’s just to commemorate I guess.”

“Commemorate? Are you saying you’re going to produce an album before going to study abroad?”

 

“I haven’t decided on studying abroad yet. We’re going to make our decision slowly.”

All they got from the interview was that he would be making an album. Jun Hyuk’s producer, Kim Jong Suk, gave a better analysis of last night’s events.

“Producer Kim. You had a hard time yesterday? He he.”

“I really… You took 10 years off my life.”

When Kim Jong Suk suddenly appeared at the station, Producer Kim Ki Sik made a fuss.

“What 10 years… I’m sure you hit the highest viewer ratings. Don’t you need to buy me a drink?”

 

He had gone back and forth between heaven and hell, but they had recorded the best ratings at 17%.

Kim Jong Suk made a request to the music director to see Jun Hyuk’s videos from the day before, and carefully watched all of the videos of Jun Hyuk’s rehearsal and performance from different angles.

The music director rewatched the rehearsal video and spoke,

“You’re really impressive. How did you get this out of Jun Hyuk?”

“Right? The rehearsal is his real image. What a waste.”

“Yeah. There’s an overlap with folk singers from the 60s and 70s. Though I’m sure kids these days won’t buy into it…..”

 

“It’s okay. That’s enough. I think a good song will come out after time passes and Jun Hyuk is a little older. Whether he sings or not.”

Producer Kim who was watching from the side was more curious about something other than the music.

“But what happened? Can you guess?”

“Well… roughly. I don’t know if it’s right or wrong though.”

The two men just looked at Kim Jong Suk’s mouth.

“He’s normal during the rehearsal. And it’s the image that I had wanted.”

“But then what happened on the stage?”

“I’m not sure about that either. But this is what I’m thinking. Don’t you think he saw his own image instead of his mother while he was singing on stage?”

“His own image?”

“Yeah. His abandoned self. He saw himself as an infant being abandoned through the eyes of his mother singing the song. Don’t you think it could be that his singing became rough and he saw himself pathetically because he saw himself thrown away?”

Kim Ki Sik had been expecting a grand secret and could not understand. The music director on the other hand, nodded lightly and showed sympathy. Only the singer can know the emotions he felt while he was singing, but they could make various interpretations as the listeners.

 

“Then I guess this is Jun Hyuk’s first and last image.”

“What? What do you mean his last?”

“Oh, I mean as young Jun Hyuk singing. You think he’ll sing going forward after showing that side of himself? Though it might change when he gets older… Producer Kim. Keep this saved. It’ll become incredible footage. If Jun Hyuk becomes a world-famous musician, these videos will become really valuable.”

It was then that Producer Kim Ki Sik realized that this video is the most expensive treasure they obtained from this season. Top stations, even international stations, would need to pay MV channel to use this footage. The fee for the footage of Elvis Presley’s first appearance on CBS is $30,000.

Though his would not be to the point of Elvis Presley, it would become a generous source of income if he even won an award in a competition.

After Jun Hyuk was eliminated from the audition program, his fans swarmed to the cafe starting early in the morning. They looked around the cafe waiting for him to appear. Yoon Kwang Hun took Jun Hyuk and came out of the cafe. If they stayed any longer, he would be imprisoned in the basement practice room.

Yoon Kwang Hun stopped by the bank before taking Jun Hyuk to his house.

“Sir, why are we going to the bank all of a sudden?”

“We need to make an account under your name.”

“What? My account?”

“Yeah. I’m going to move the deposit from your modeling contract to your account. We need to have one made for you.”

Since Jun Hyuk had never earned money himself before, $20,000 is not an easily quantifiable sum to him. When he first saw the modeling contract, he had been counting the number of zeros on his fingers.

 

“And you’ll start getting incentives from the songs you arranged and performed on the broadcast. They said they’ll settle the amount every 3 months, so you really need an account.”

The average child would be putting the money he received over the holidays into his first bank account. That time is very late for Jun Hyuk, but he had earned an amount that children at his age could not even touch.

Jun Hyuk opened his first account while receiving courteous treatment from the bank employees and was only able to escape after taking a commemorative photo.

While they were coming home after, Yoon Kwang Hun wondered,

“The modeling fee is $20,000… What do you want to do? Is there anything you want to do?”

“Sir, I think you should just keep the money…..”

“Why? Why should I keep it when I didn’t earn it?”

“I told you. I’ll make money and repay your kindness.”

“This kid. You think $20,000 will cut it?”

Jun Hyuk started to stutter in surprised at Yoon Kwang Hun’s retort,

“Oh, no. I’m saying you should keep everything I earn.”

Yoon Kwang Hun smirked at Jun Hyuk’s surprised face.

“Later.”

“Excuse me?”

“When you make $2million or $20million, I’m going to keep it all. This kid! Lawyer Baek said it too. I used to work with hundreds of millions. $20,000? That’s not even money to me. You use that as pocket change.”

“But…..”

Yoon Kwang Hun who had been joking until now spoke seriously,

“Jun Hyuk, it’s the first time you’ve earned money. Don’t save it and just use it. You’ve never been able to have anything you wanted for 17 years. Have it.”

 

Jun Hyuk was walking with an apologetic face when he smiled a little. Yoon Kwang Hun did not miss it and asked,

“There is something. What is it?”

“Oh, the truth is… there is something I really want to get, but I don’t think you’ll let me.”

“Tell me. I’m telling you to do whatever you want as long as it isn’t anything bad.”

“A motorcycle.”

“What? A motorcycle? Ha ha.”

Music, star, model… Because of these words, he had been forgetting for a while that Jun Hyuk is a teenager who likes to look cool.

“What kind? Is there a model that you have in mind?”

Jun Hyuk spoke excitedly because he thought that Yoon Kwang Hun would oppose it saying that it is dangerous.

“You know, Suzuki? The rear shock absorber went up so…..”

It is an age where bikes that race through traffic look cool. That is, before they see luxury goods.

“Do you want to see what a real motorcycle is?”

“A real motorcycle?”

“Let’s go. See the real thing.”

Yoon Kwang Hun brought Jun Hyuk back to the cafe and got in the car to go to Seoul. Where they went was not a neighborhood motorcycle shop, but a blaring specialized dealership with impressive motorcycles.

“These are real motorcycles. What do you think?”

Jun Hyuk was already standing in front of a red motorcycle, speechless as if in a trance. It was so polished that he was scared to even touch it.

Jun Hyuk stood staring at it and slowly reached a hand out to stroke the red motorcycle.

“Ducati Monster 696. You picked a good one. Masterpiece of masterpieces. The shock absorber Suzuki 125cc is just a tractor. This is what you call a motorcycle.”

With Jun Hyuk’s modeling fee, he would only be able to afford the Monster model which is the lowest of the middle level Ducatis. The bigger problem was that they are really monsters that are too powerful for a beginner to handle.

“Wow, your father is awesome. Gifting a Ducati to his son.”

An employee approached the two as he started his small talk.

“Wow – your son is really a model. He’s tall and handsome. It looks like this one found its rightful owner.”

The employee stroked the Ducati and looked back and forth between the bike and Jun Hyuk when he started stammering,

“Are… Are you Jang Jun Hyuk? Tomorrow’s Star? Right?”

However, Jun Hyuk was so enwrapped by the motorcycle that he did not hear him.

“Yes, that’s right. But we’re not buying right now. We just came to look today. He doesn’t have a license yet. We’ll come back once he gets his license.”

“Oy, look all you want.”

The employee called the dealership manager who had left while the two were looking at the bike. There was no windfall like the appearance of such a rising star.

“Boss, hurry up and call headquarters to tell them that Jun Hyuk is here. Don’t we need to give him a lot of discounts? We’re getting free advertisement.”


	93. Chapter 93

Volume 3 / Chapter 93

TL: LightNovelCafe

While they were going back home, Yoon Kwang Hun told Jun Hyuk the conditions he needed to keep if he wanted to buy the motorcycle.

“You have to wear your safety equipment properly and you can’t ride alone.”

“What? You’re not saying you’ll ride on back, are you?”

“Are you crazy? Enroll in a club and learn how to ride safely. You need to go into a club of old people with a lot of experience. You’ll ride with them. You can’t ride alone until riding safely becomes a habit.”

Jun Hyuk just nodded to everything. He could not really hear what was being said. Whatever the conditions were, he needed to buy the bike first.

 

From that day on, Jun Hyuk did not care about music, working on his first album, or studying abroad. He was preoccupied with passing the exam to obtain his license in one go.

***

Yoon Kwang Hun did not know what to do with the customers who came pouring in as soon as he opened the cafe doors. They were all Jun Hyuk’s fans.

Yoon Kwang Hun’s cafe is the Holy Land to Jun Hyuk’s fans. They need to make the pilgrimage here, so there were even fans from the countryside who chartered tour buses to come. They already had 3 employees, but it had gotten to the point where they need to hire more.

After dealing with customers all day, he went home exhausted and just slept.

 

He was currently building a new cafe in a place a little removed from the cafe now. Lawyer Baek Seung Ho made a tremendous amount of money for him and he would be able to build multiple cafes with that.

Yoon Kwang Hun put a spacious studio in the basement and was setting up the third floor as a residence for Jun Hyuk and himself.

He was going to make the 1st and 2nd floors into a cafe and live with music. Yoon Kwang Hun thought that Jun Hyuk’s fans would not come bothering him in hordes if they moved, so he was just counting down the days until they could go in.

Female customers came flooding in as soon as the cafe doors opened again, and they began to chatter after ordering coffee and honey bread. When about half of the seats were taken, a middle-aged woman in plain clothes opened the doors to come in. The middle-aged woman looked familiar like someone he had seen before.

 

When he had the thought ‘Is she a regular?’ an employee approached and spoke,

“Boss, that woman said she’s here to meet you.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“Oy, what a bother. What now?”

Yoon Kwang Hun stopped frowning, walked toward the woman, and greeted her politely,

“Hello. I am the owner of this cafe.”

“Mr. Yoon Kwang Hun?”

“Yes.”

“Can we speak for a moment?”

“I’m sorry, but it’s a little busy at the moment as you can see.”

“Hm… I heard that you love music, but I guess you don’t consider domestic music worthy?”

“Excuse me? What are you talking about?”

“Do you know who I am? My name is Jeon Hye Jin.”

“Jeon Hye Jin? Ah, pianist Jeon Hye Jin?”

Professor Jeon Hye Jin laughed at Yoon Kwang Hun’s surprise.

“Yes. What a relief. You know my name.”

“How rude of me… I didn’t think you would come to a shabby cafe like this. My apologies.”

“It’s okay. You’re someone who hasn’t purchased my CD. It’s a relief that you know my name.”

“Excuse me? Oh, CD… I should have one somewhere…”

Yoon Kwang Hun’s face turned red at Jeon Hye Jin’s teasing.

“Ho ho. Relax. I’m not here to pick on you about that. Actually, I met Jun Hyuk not too long ago.”

“Jun Hyuk?”

Yoon Kwang Hun sat on the seat opposite Professor Jeon Hye Jin.

“Yes. Hwang Suk Min brought him to our school. He said that Jun Hyuk is a gem but could not give a concrete evaluation.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Oh right, I heard that Jun Hyuk’s broadcast ended but where is he now?”

“He’s studying hard these days to get his license. Ha ha. He’s at my apartment because of the cafe’s state as you can see. What should we do about this? You probably came to meet Jun Hyuk.”

 

Even in Jeon Hye Jin’s eyes, this was not just any cafe. It was a spectacle with women of all ages noisily taking pictures in front of the piano and bookcase full of CDs.

“No, it’s better this way. I actually came here because I wanted to speak with you.”

“Me?”

Why would a pianist come looking for him? Is this about lessons? Or? Various thoughts passed through Yoon Kwang Hun’s head.

Jeon Hye Jin took a look around the cafe and saw the CDs on the wall and the grand piano in the middle of the cafe.

“So he listened to all of those CDs filling that wall.”

“Yes.”

“It’s a relief that he met someone like you.”

Jeon Hye Jin sipped the coffee an employee brought over and spoke,

“Then Jun Hyuk just listened to music for 2 years.”

“Yes. Fortunately, I was able to show him how to read music scores and he did the rest on his own.”

Jeon Hye Jin looked at Yoon Kwang Hun and carefully brought up her reason for coming,

 

“I observed this gem that Jun Hyuk is. Hm… How should I say it? Should I say he’s a gem that’s impossible to judge?”

Thank you for evaluating him so highly.”

“At first, I thought that it would be a joke for me to become involved and that I would be meddling… but I couldn’t stay still. I looked into and heard that you’re already thinking of sending Jun Hyuk to study abroad.”

“No that’s not it.”

“You’re not?”

Jeon Hye Jin had her coffee cup in her hand as her eyes widened. She thought that this man might be having different thoughts. She was even suspicious that he might be thinking of ways to make money by having Jun Hyuk work in Korea.

“I just made one out of many paths that Jun Hyuk can take. He can take that path if he wants to and he can leave it if he doesn’t.”

“What did the schools you looked into say?”

“All except one said that they would give him a full scholarship.”

“Which is the stupid school that rejected him?”

“Ha ha. They’re not stupid. It’s Eastman School of Music. They said that they would give him a full scholarship, a place for him to live alone, and even $2,000 every month in allowance.”

“Are you hesitating because of money?”

“No. We have plenty of money. And Jun Hyuk is already making enough money. Money isn’t the issue.”

There are prestigious schools all over the world waiting for Jun Hyuk with open arms. But to say that he has no intention to force him to go? Jeon Hye Jin wondered what Yoon Kwang Hun was thinking and listened carefully to his next words.

“I wanted Jun Hyuk to focus on classical as well. But… I don’t know if you know, but after we went through a bad situation, my thoughts changed. It’d be great if Jun Hyuk gained fame and became a world-renowned figure, but I just want him to be happy doing what he wants to do. Isn’t he just 17 years old? Even without rushing him, he will show us mature music as he grows up.”

Yoon Kwang Hun thought of Jun Hyuk’s happy face these days.

“Right now, Jun Hyuk is studying at home because he wants to get his license. That image of him looks happier than he did when he was making music.”

“Sir, may I say something that is overstepping my boundaries?”

“Yes, please.”

“We say that Mozart is a genius because he composed a symphony at age 5. It certainly isn’t because he was able to copy a song after hearing it once. The important thing is that in his time from a 5 year old prodigy until he died at 26, his music never stopped developing.”

Jeon Hye Jin was saying that Jun Hyuk’s development would cease if they became satisfied with his talent now.

“Right now, Jun Hyuk is definitely a genius. But I’m more curious about the music Jun Hyuk will make as a 26 year old than I am about the music he’ll make at 17. If he gains popularity and does Korean pop music… it’s a bit worrisome. He could just stop here.”


	94. Chapter 94

Volume 3 / Chapter 94

TL: LightNovelCafe

Even Beethoven who was going deaf, was not satisfied with his music and put all of himself into writing music until the end. The result of that is none other than Symphony No. 9 Choral, the ultimate masterpiece in the history of symphonies.

Everyone who was labeled a genius was able to maintain that title because they put in an endless effort until the day they died.

“When I was young, there was a boy my age whose IQ was over 200. He even came out on TV. Was it at age 4? The whole country was talking about it because he completed college level math problems perfectly. However, he’s now a level 7 official in the countryside. If you don’t keep growing a talent, it disappears.”

Yoon Kwang Hun quietly listened to Jeon Hye Jin and laughed as he spoke,

“I understand what you’re worrying about. But I have absolutely no intention on forcing him. Jun Hyuk will make the decision himself. His craving for music is the greatest.”

 

Jeon Hye Jin’s frustration did not go away. Isn’t he still at the young age of 17? An adult should be able to force young children to lead them into the right path.

“When I listened to Jun Hyuk’s piano, I was surprised because of the way he could identify emotions and not the way he copies. He showed me Dinu Lipatti, Van Cliburn, and Glenn Gould and I thought I was going to pass out.”

She had not showed it that day, but it was true that she had been so surprised she almost fainted.

“But none of the verses showed Jun Hyuk’s own color. How could a child who could excel in piano not have a color of his own? It’s not that he doesn’t have one, but that he’s hiding it.”

“I know that as well. Jun Hyuk is a juke box. If you put a coin in and choose a song, it comes out exactly the same. But isn’t it impressive in itself that he can replicate those greats perfectly?”

 

“It is impressive. However, don’t you think it’s a waste that a child who can become the greatest pianist in the world is copying others’ songs?”

“Professor.”

Yoon Kwang Hun saw heartfelt worry in Jeon Hye Jin’s eyes.

“Isn’t he a child who plays the piano so well that you almost passed out? There’s no way a child like that doesn’t have a color of his own, is there?”

“Right? It’s only normal for him to have it. I’m asking why he doesn’t reveal it.”

“He doesn’t like his piano.”

“Jun Hyuk said that as well. He said that there are so many people who are better at playing the piano than he is that there’s really no reason for him to play. He said that those people can just play the songs that he composes. But he’s just 17 now. Even if he isn’t as talented as he wants to be, he needs to shape that talent to make is satisfactory. Then he will for sure surpass the greats.”

Yoon Kwang Hun told her the reason with a bitter expression, but Jeon Hye Jin did not fully understand.

 

“Ah, I guess I didn’t tell you this exactly. It seems he lacks expression. What I was saying is… It isn’t that Jun Hyuk doesn’t like his piano because he isn’t as good as the greats or anything like that.”

“Then?”

“I think it’s better to say that he doesn’t want to face his color. I’ve heard Jun Hyuk’s own piano once.”

Yoon Kwang Hun could not forget the shock from that day.

Yoon Kwang Hun woke up at dawn because his stomach was grumbling and thought of ordering a snack for delivery, but went to the cafe instead. He wanted to eat with Jun Hyuk if he was going to eat anyway.

As soon as he entered the cafe, it was full of the sound of the piano. Jun Hyuk did not realize that Yoon Kwang Hun had come and was engrossed in playing the piano.

He was playing Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 14 Moonlight.

The 1st verse was so peaceful it was stifling, the 2nd a lively minuet, and the 3rd a vehemence of movement. This configuration showed that it is a different form from other sonatas. Normally, the 1st verse is intense and the 2nd is calm in order to relax. Moonlight is configured in reverse. Its specialty is that it has a dreamlike melody. The whole verse has a stifling peacefulness and the melody is so emotional and beautiful that it causes sadness. It is a song that does not allow the listener to lift his head in relief.

However, Jun Hyuk’s interpretation of the song was full of anger.

It was not a moonlight that provided a beautiful light in a dark night.

 

It was a moonlight that shed light on bloody night with a dingo and wolf fighting over territory.

An explosion of anger after peace, power, and passion in which it felt like one or the other would be ripped apart. That was all.

Yoon Kwang Hun left the cafe quietly so Jun Hyuk would not notice his presence.

Jun Hyuk had only shown him a bright side of himself even if there had been times when he seemed rough and spoke like a thug. Yoon Kwang Hun thought it pathetic that he had expected Jun Hyuk’s wounds to have healed over time.

There is no reason for a wound of over 10 years to heal in just 2 years. He knew well where Jun Hyuk’s anger was coming from and where it was directed.

“It’s better to listen to Jun Hyuk’s piano in 10 years. Once Jun Hyuk is able to accept and love himself as he is, I’m sure he’ll be playing music that will exceed what you expected. Jun Hyuk’s talent isn’t the type that will spark and disappear.”

Yoon Kwang Hun spoke quietly while thinking of that day, but Professor Jeon Hye Jin could not understand.

“What is Jun Hyuk’s piano like right now that you say this?”

“I can’t tell you something that he himself does not want to reveal. Sorry.”

Yoon Kwang Hun spoke as he looked at a disappointed Professor Jeon Hye Jin,

“I understand how concerned you are about Jun Hyuk, but let’s just leave it up to him. He’ll do well. And I won’t stop you from meeting him to convince him whenever you would like to since I’m sure it’s because you care for him.”

 

“You’re much better than the parents who have a lot of ambition for their children who have a slight talent.”

Jeon Hye Jin calmed herself as she drank her coffee. She had seen so many parents who wanted to make their children’s talent into something 10 times what is really was, so she saw Yoon Kwang Hun as the ideal parent with his attitude.

“I don’t know. It could be that I have a more objective approach because I’m not his biological parent.”

Looking at Yoon Kwang Hun, Professor Jeon Hye Jin felt like she had overstepped her bounds. This is a man who could raise Jun Hyuk as an amazing musician.

“Sir.”

“Yes.”

“Is Clayton-Hoffman included in the schools he was accepted to?”

“Yes, of course. We couldn’t leave it out when it’s the most prestigious school in America. We applied and received a letter of acceptance.”

“What a relief. I would like to recommend Clayton if you do end up sending Jun Hyuk abroad.”

“Can I ask why?”

“Clayton is good in all aspects, but it is especially excellent in composition and commanding education. They provide a lot of support and make arrangements to meet people in the industry. I hope for Jun Hyuk to have a lot of those types of opportunities. Who knows? He might have the chance to conduct the New York Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert. Ho ho.”


	95. Chapter 95

Volume 3 / Chapter 95

TL: LightNovelCafe

For the two days after Professor Jeon Hye Jin came and left, Yoon Kwang Hun contemplated some more and sat Jun Hyuk down to talk.

“Jun Hyuk. Can we talk?”

“Sure.”

Jun Hyuk started to feel a little nervous at Yoon Kwang Hun’s serious expression.

“I’m sure you’re already contemplating it, but have you thought about it?”

“Are you talking about studying abroad?”

“Yeah.”

“Honestly, I’m most scared of being by myself again.”

Yoon Kwang Hun saw Jun Hyuk respond without hesitation and knew.

He wants to study music.

He needs an education in order to create better music.

He realized that Jun Hyuk had these thoughts but feared standing alone.

 

“That means you’re not against going abroad to study with great musicians, right?”

“Yes.”

Yoon Kwang Hun needed persuasion, not force. Something that gives him courage may be necessary.

“Hm… Then you say that you’re becoming independent in a situation like this, not alone.”

“Independence?”

“Yeah. You’re going your own way. There will be a lot of new people waiting for you on that road. You’ll go on living with a repetition of meetings and farewells.”

Farewell. It is the word that Jun Hyuk fears most.

“Then what about you?”

“Me? Are you thinking that going abroad means you’ll be saying bye to me? Why would that happen? I’m your home.”

“Home?”

“Yeah. The home you can come back to at anytime to rest if you ever become tired on that road. That’s me. And that’s not only me. All parents in this world are people who guard their homes to protect their children.”

Yoon Kwang Hun finally said the word ‘parent’. Though he could not say that he is a parent with confidence, he was showing his will to play the same role.

 

“And all young kids are the same. The only difference is in when this independence comes. You’re just being independent a little faster than most.”

The word ‘parent’ from Yoon Kwang Hun. Jun Hyuk who had heard it clearly put his head down and could not lift it for a while.

When he raised it again, he had a bright expression as though nothing had happened.

“Do you want me to go abroad?”

“Of course. But if you say you don’t want to, I’m not going to force you. And I hope you don’t think that you should go just because I want you to.”

“Can I think about it some more?”

“Take all the time you need. Like I just said, I’m okay with whatever path you take. I won’t even stop you if you decide to become an idol singer. Ha ha.”

Yoon Kwang Hun gave Jun Hyuk the freedom of choice, but it also seemed like the time for him to become independent had come.

 

Jun Hyuk felt like he would never forget the day he got his license. It was the first exam he had ever taken and he passed it in one go. He did not know that it felt this great to pass a test.

When he got his license and went back to the dealership to buy the Ducati Monster, the manager and staff were out. In exchange for taking a few pictures, they gave them celebrity discounts and sent the bike to the cafe on the back of a truck.

For Jun Hyuk who had only practiced for the license exam on a 250cc, the 700cc is a monster like its name. He did not have the technique to control this monster that rushed forward at the slightest touch.

Eventually, Jun Hyuk became absorbed in the joy of riding once he enrolled in a riders’ club as Yoon Kwang Hun had said and learned to control the monster himself.

There are quite a lot of people who do not have to work for a living in this world. There were a lot of people whose jobs were unknown who participated in the riding club everyday. Jun Hyuk did not care about music until he rode with these men so often that he was able to ride at 180km/h without fear.

He went out in the morning and did not return until sundown, and there were times when he did not come back for a few days. His long-distance rides on nationwide routes became more frequent.

Yoon Kwang Hun did not nag at Jun Hyuk about anything other than riding safely, and only asked about the destination of the riders.

He was also busy moving into the newly built cafe.

He created a soundproofed studio in the basement and was going to look into the best equipment to fill it with when Jun Hyuk said they should push it off.

That is when Yoon Kwang Hun understood Jun Hyuk’s intentions. Even if he brought in the best equipment, there would be no reason to use it. He also realized that Jun Hyuk was riding his motorcycle all over the country in order to make memories before he went abroad.

 

After falling into riding for 3 months, Jun Hyuk suddenly did not come out of the studio. He wrestled with the guitar and drums for a month and came out of his studio with a large stack of scores.

“Were you locked up making a new song?”

“Yes. I was thinking of making an album with this.”

“Album?”

“Yes. Teacher Jo Hyung Joong said that he wants to work on my first album.”

“Really? What’s the genre?”

Yoon Kwang Hun put out his hand with an expression full of anticipation. However, Jun Hyuk put the scores under his arm and put his hand down.

“Listen to it if the record comes out. I’m not going to show you the score. Ke ke.”

Jun Hyuk put the scores in his backpack and got on his motorcycle. The Ducati Monster he had treated like a lover had become a means of transportation.

“Teacher, it’s been a long time.”

“Oh, Jun Hyuk. How have you been? I’ve spoken to Yoon Kwang Hun over the phone a few times… I heard you’re into riding these days?”

When Jun Hyuk walked in with his helmet, Jo Hyung Joong was surprised by how much he had changed in a matter of months.

 

His face had not changed in any way other than getting a little tanned, but he looked more mature. He had gained confidence.

“Now it’s just… withering. I rode as much as I wanted. Teacher.”

“Yeah.”

“I wanted to start working on an album. Do you have time?”

“Of course. I’ve been waiting. I just didn’t push you because I figured you needed to rest after having a hard time with the broadcast. Wait a second. I’ll have to tell Jung Su to hurry over.”

Jo Hyung Joong called Yoon Jung Su to bolt over and chat with Jun Hyuk until he arrived.

The two versions of Kanon had not brought in as much profits as they had expected, but they had gained tremendous profits in advertisements because it had explosive views on YouTube. Jun Hyuk had been surprised by the number that came up in his bank account. The $20,000 he had earned in modeling fees was nothing.

As soon as Yoon Jung Su arrived, Jun Hyuk went through his backpack and pulled out the score. Jun Hyuk had a total of 10 songs. They varied from 2 minutes 40 seconds to 5 minutes 10 seconds. The overall running time was 40 minutes.

The two men looked excitedly through the thick stack of scores.

“Are these all new songs?”

“Yes. I didn’t move from the studio for a month and made these.”

Jo Hyung Joong and Yoon Jung Su looked through the ten scores carefully and put them down.

“You haven’t arranged them yet?”

“No, because you both said that you would work on the album.”

However, the scores had the clear message about the genre. It was also a request to preserve the genre. There were various genres mixed in including a light ballad, blues, jazz, rock, and powerful heavy metal.

“Oh right. There’s an order to these tracks. I wrote the numbers at the top of the scores… We have to put them in that order.”

 

Arranging the track order also meant that he had already chosen the title song.

“Jun Hyuk, this is your first album. We have to arrange it together. It’s not like you aren’t able to or anything.”

Jo Hyung Joong had a puzzled expression. The joy of working with Jun Hyuk. He wanted to savor the happiness of seeing his talent.

However, Jun Hyuk laughed without responding. Yoon Jung Su was so absorbed in the scores that he had not seen Jun Hyuk’s face and was mumbling.

“Looking at this, it seems there’s a concept. There’s a motif melody hiding in each song.”

“Yes. I listened to the 1st album of Wild Chrysanthemum Teacher Jo mentioned again carefully.”

Wild Chrysanthemum’s debut album, the best record in the history of Korean pop music. Jo Hyung Joong had said that he wanted to make an album to surpass this with Jun Hyuk.

“They had incorporated the theme of their title song, ‘March’, into the other songs. It was incredible. I didn’t realize at first even when he used the lyrics of March in the title of other songs.”

“So are you saying that you used that technique in all of your songs?”

“Yes. That way, it won’t be lacking to say that it’s a concept album.”

“Then what’s the concept you want to get out of this?”

“There isn’t a big meaning… but I guess you could just see it as a day in the cafe.”

“A day in the cafe?”

“Yes. Cleaning in the morning, opening the doors, doing business, closing the cafe, cleaning. I made this the concept.”

The sharp Yoon Jung Su finally took his eyes off of the scores and whistled.

“The cafe owner will be happy.”

Jo Hyung Joong just blinked at Yoon Jung Su’s words out of the blue.

“Hyung Joong, this seems like a song Jun Hyuk made for the cafe owner. And it means that he was happy every single day he spent at the cafe. Is that right?”

 

It seemed Yoon Jung Su’s guess was not wrong from the way Jun Hyuk smiles without responding.

They had thought it contained a great meaning, but it was just a day in the cafe. Jo Hyung Joong who had thought that Jun Hyuk’s music style was too grand to capture a simple daily life, nodded.

“I see. I was wondering why the ten songs are so refreshing. Alright, since it’s your first album… it might be something definite.”

He made the theme of his first album himself instead of bringing it in from elsewhere. This in itself is a great development. Yoon Jung Su was even pleased that Jun Hyuk finally realized how to put his own story in his music when he had been the one who said he heard music in all sounds.

“Jun Hyuk certainly has classical running through his blood. I think this follows the flow of classical. The introduction – chorus – middle portion – reappearance of the chorus – you configured it as a coda?”

“Yes. I made the album as if it were one song and then remade that into 10 songs.”

They could easily create a concept album. The consumer who could recognize the melodic concept would be able to enjoy it fully.

“This is great. The framework is perfect. I guess the key will be how you build on it.”

The two men could not stop complimenting him, but their expressions were not very bright. It did not feel like it would be popular. The two had not thought of creating music that would sell well from the beginning. However, people tend to aim for success while they are at it.

“Jung Su, can you write the lyrics quickly? There are 10 songs.”

“Since Jun Hyuk created a concept. I’m thinking of writing the lyrics with the concept in mind. It won’t take very long.”

Yoon Jung Su is good at creating lyrics with everyday language. He thought that it would be perfect if he included Jun Hyuk’s desire to say thank you to the cafe owner, his joy in working with music everyday at the cafe, and even a farewell.

There was no longer talk of studying abroad, but will he not leave the country at some point? It would not be bad to say farewell to the person he is grateful to in advance.

Yoon Jung Su did not take his eyes off of the score and Jo Hyung Joong was locked in thought.

“Then who would be fitting to sing the songs? There’s no need to worry about the session since Jun Hyuk can play it himself.”

At this, Jun Hyuk said something surprising.

“Teacher, since this album is something we’re making all together, I wanted to leave the session to other people. And I’ll leave the arranging and producing entirely up to the both of you.”

Again, the sharp Yoon Jung Su understood Jun Hyuk perfectly. He could tell from what Jun Hyuk was saying that he would be going abroad as soon as the album is completed.

That is why he is leaving everything including the arrangement and performance up to others. He would be able to remember every person he worked with on the album whenever he listened to it.

“You want to cherish the memories?”

Yoon Jung Su mumbled. It was a tone at which they could not tell if he was talking to himself or asking a question.

“….. Yes.”

Jun Hyuk’s cautious response meant that Yoon Jung Su’s prediction was correct. He was sad when he actually heard the response.

Then his shoulders suddenly became heavy. An album capturing Jun Hyuk’s memories. He would listen to it in another country while thinking of his motherland. Unless it was perfect, it would not serve Jun Hyuk’s purpose.

“Alright. Then let’s leave the drums to the drummer of Steel Blade and I’ll ask Jong Suk about the bass. And of course we’ll have to ask Teacher Hwang Suk Min for the orchestra part.”

Jo Hyung Joong thought of Jun Hyuk’s moments on broadcast and thought of each person who had worked with him.

“The problem is choosing the contributing singers since I’m going to think of the singer while I write the lyrics. Jang Na Rae, Kwak Hye Sung, Nam Seung Hee… Who else should we call?”

Yoon Jung Su said the name of each person who was connected to Jun Hyuk.

“Lee Hae Jun.”

“Hae Jun?”

“Yes, we were roommates.”

“Right, that’s true. Good, then Hae Jun. Also, we’ll have to call those 2 guys too.”

“Who?”

“The rappers you met in the preliminaries. We can think about whether we want to use them for a rap featuring as we arrange the songs.”

While Yoon Jung Su was thinking of the people that Jun Hyuk was linked to, he started joking and spoke while laughing,

“Jun Hyuk, don’t you have to sing a song? This time, you’ll sing it properly.”

Jun Hyuk’s face turned bright red.

“Ugh! Why are you being like this? From now on, I’m only going to sing by myself in a karaoke room… No, I’m just not going to sing.”

Jo Hyung Joong spoke to Yoon Jung Su when he saw Jun Hyuk panicking,

“Jung Su, why don’t you sing a song for the first time in a while?”

“Honestly, I do want to sing, but… I’m not confident. Let’s think about that after writing all of the lyrics.”

He knew that Jo Hyung Joong was joking, but it is music that he would like to work with. But all of the people who would sing are young and fresh. It is inevitable that he would be compared to them the second he sang… He needs to hold back.

After Yoon Jung Su looked at all of the scores, he thought of the best way to wrap up the album’s ending.

“Jun Hyuk, I think an instrumental would be best for this last track. What do you think about ending it on the piano?”

“Okay. Like I just said, I’ll follow your direction.”

Jun Hyuk left the studio after deciding on a day to come back to record his part.

When the two men were alone, they faced each other and realized that they had left out the most important part.

“Hyung Joong, what’s the title of the album?”

“Jang Jun Hyuk.”

“What? Jang Jun Hyuk album 1? Isn’t it too ordinary?”

“No, let’s just go with Jang Jun Hyuk. This could become the first and last album he releases in Korea. Doesn’t it have no meaning that it’s the 1st album? It could become Jang Jun Hyuk’s only Korean album.”


	96. Chapter 96

Volume 3 / Chapter 96

TL: LightNovelCafe

After Jun Hyuk and Yoon Jung Su had left, Jo Hyung Joong recalled something he had completely forgotten.

‘How could I have not sent that yet.’

Jo Hyung Joong listened to the sound and voice a few times and picked up his phone.

“Professor, this is Jo Hyung Joong. Have you been well?”

“Oh, Teacher Kim. Yeah, and you?”

“I’ve been doing well thanks to you.”

Professor Ju Yong Tae, the 1st choice as a speaker for midnight programs introducing classical music, was talking to Jo Hyung Joong for the first time in a while. His fate with Jo Hyung Joong they participated in a forum program about popular and classical music.

Thanks to Jo Hyung Joong’s introductions, he often received requests to write classical OSTs for soap operas. This brought him a fair amount of money. He did have anticipation for Jo Hyung Joong’s call.

“So is something up?”

“Yes. I’m going to send you an e-mail. I’m sorry, I should have gone looking for you myself.”

“No, it’s okay. Aren’t you a busy person? What’s in the message?”

 

“There’s a song that someone I’m keeping my eye on wrote, and I was wondering if you would take a look at it.”

“Ho ho. What do I know about popular music? You’re more of an expert in that area.”

“It’s… not popular music, but a symphony.”

“Symphony?”

“Yes.”

Why is a classical composer sending a score to a popular music composer? Professor Ju became curious.

“Really? Who is it? It won’t be someone I know… Is it someone from abroad?”

 

If it were someone that Professor Ju knew, he would not have needed to go through Jo Hyung Joong. He would have just come to him directly.

“Ah… No. He’s a total rookie. That’s why I would like to get your definitive opinion.”

“A symphony for a total rookie? Ho ho. Sure. I’ll take a look and call you.”

Professor Ju turned his computer on and checked his e-mail. Four files were attached to the e-mail that Jo Hyung Joong sent. The file names concerto 1 to 4 stood out to him.

Professor downloaded all of the files and sent the 1st concerto to the printer first. Reading from printer paper was easier for his senile eyes than from a computer monitor.

The professor read through the score carefully and without looking at more than half of the first, he frowned and crumpled it, throwing it into the waste bin.

 

He coughed a few times to shake the unpleasant feeling and picked up his phone.

“Teacher Kim, it’s me.”

“Yes, Professor. Did you see it?”

“What in the world is this? Is this garbage what you call music these days?”

“Is… Is that so?”

Garbage. The most severe criticism that Professor Ju Yong Tae could say was garbage. It was to the point where students had to expect F grades if they heard the word garbage come from Professor Ju’s mouth.

“You call this music? It’s just uncomfortable noise. I don’t know who it is, but it seems like he’s just imitating contemporary music… Even listening to a little of it is uncomfortable. It isn’t music. It’s just a parody. This is made by a fake who just tries to look cool, thinking that he has a high standard and is philosophical.”

Garbage created by a fake who acts cool. This was Professor Ju’s final evaluation.

“Ah, I see. I’m sorry about this. I made you uncomfortable with an unnecessary request.”

Jo Hyung Joong quickly hung up the phone. Could it be that a young genius’ work is just play? This elder is one of the most famous classical composers and professors in Korea, and he is a renowned critic of classical music. If a man like that assessed someone’s music as garbage, there is a high probability that it does not have much value.

 

‘I bet. He’s only just 17 years old… For a beginner who hasn’t learned any composing techniques… a symphony is too much.’

Even so, there is no reason to be disappointed in the talent that Jun Hyuk had shown until now. The arrangement and composition he showed in popular music showed that he is plenty qualified to be called a hit maker.

Professor Ju Yong Tae poured criticism on Jo Hyung Joong, but the discomfort that the music left with him did not go away. He went outside because he thought that he at least needed fresh air to clear his mind. The professor took the full waste bin and went outside.

“Oh, Professor. Give that to me. I’ll empty it for you.”

“Ms. Mi Sun, thank you.”

The young Mi Sun, who works in the department office, emptied the full waste bin into the recycling bin.

Graduate school professor Um Ki Jun gathered the paper cups towering up on his desk with both hands and walked toward the recycling bin.

As he was turning around after throwing out the cups, the music scores caught his eye. They were scores that he would not have normally paid attention to. In a building with the school of music, scores are common garbage.

The scores caught his eye because they were on printer paper. Um Ki Jun always pushed his students to buy sheet music no matter what. If they get used to reading the sheet music downloaded from the internet, scores become unfamiliar to the eye.

Um Ki Jun took the scores. He thought that he would need to show them to his students the next day to nag at them. Curiosity also started forming.

 

He went back to his room and looked over the sheets, wondering what scores they were that they had been tossed in the garbage.

His eyes widened when he saw the first page because of the notes that appeared. A score difficult to find inside the school. Notes dancing irregularly. It is contemporary music. He had not yet seen a student who like contemporary music enough to print the scores.

Also, not just he the advisory professor, but most of the music professors hated contemporary music.

Um Ki Jun’s curiosity rose and he started reading the scores. Before he could even turn the first page, his head was already numb with surprise and the music filled the room as he turned the pages.

The music burned Um Ki Jun’s body like the neverending fire of hell. It felt like a goblin covered in sharp thorns was breaking his bones into pieces.

He put the score down a few times. It was too painful to withstand the pain. He put the score down several times and when he put it down for the last time, he even felt like his bones had become dust and his skin had been ripped apart.

“Ha….. Goodness…..”

This word came out without his knowing if it was a sigh or if it was in admiration. Whose work could it be? Since he started playing the piano in elementary school, he had listened to classical music for 20 years but this is the first time hearing such a shocking song. It seems like a 20th century song from its form, but he could not remember it no matter what.

How could he not know a work like this!

The last page of the score seemed to be speaking to Um Ki Jun.

The magic is not yet over.

You have to experience more of this pain.

Until your body becomes ashes, the flames will not go away.

The score told him that this is just the 1st concerto. How would the 2nd concerto be deployed and how would the finale be executed?

Um Ki Jun wanted to see more. He wanted to listen to more of it. Um Ki Jun ran to the dump again. He searched the area he had just picked up the score from, but could not find a single sheet.

There is no reason for the students to be looking at music like this… Could it be one of the professors? Or had someone written it themselves?

He did not even dream of going to ask the professors. Old people worshipping classicism and romanticism. They are just antiquated elders who do not go near contemporary music.

He could already see how these old people who even thought Stravinsky’s music to be bizarre would react to this score. This place is full of closed people who worship Beethoven and Bach.

Then could it be that one of the students found this while surfing the internet?

Um Ki Jun wanted to know either the score’s owner or at least the person who printed it no matter what.


	97. Chapter 97

Volume 3 / Chapter 97

TL: LightNovelCafe

As Um Ki Jun went into his undergraduate classes and master’s seminars, he carried the score with him and started asking around. However, everyone shook their heads saying that it was their first time seeing the score. There were a few who showed interest in the music, but he did not have any intention to discuss it with them. The important thing is to find the composer.

He looked for a week, but he could not find the source. Eventually, everyone except the professors he had not asked had shaken their heads saying they were seeing it for the first time.

Um Ki Jun decided to check the remaining possibility. He assumed that the song had already been released and someone had downloaded it off of the internet. It could be a song that is not yet known in Korea, a wasteland for contemporary music.

Um Ki Jun scanned the score again and sent it to Park Ji Kuk, a college classmate studying abroad in San Francisco. His classmate said that he was seeing it for the first time and was sure it is an unpublished song since he had gone to America to study contemporary music.

 

After sending the mail to his classmate, he did not get a response for a day. He thought that it was an emotion that only he had felt. It is like when not all people who see Picasso’s works of cubism are in awe.

Due to the time difference, a call at dawn told him that he had not felt it alone.

“Hello?”

“Hey! Um Ki Jun!”

“What? Why all of a sudden?”

“Tell me honestly. Where did this song come from? You didn’t write it, did you?”

Park Jin Kuk’s voice of anger hit him hard.

“Lower your voice! I can hear well. So, you saw the e-mail?”

“Hurry up and just answer. Did you really write it?”

 

“I would have sent the sheet program file if I had written it. That was printed.”

“Then whose is this?”

“I sent it to you because I don’t know that. Look into it. You know it’s hard to find new works here. This is the first time you’re hearing it? It’s really unpublished?”

“Of course. If a work like this had been published, it would’ve already been a big deal. You really don’t know? Then where did it come from?”

Um Ki Jun went through how the score had come into his hands.

“Does that mean there’s a genius hidden in our school? No way.”

 

“You think that’s possible? The score I scanned was printed. Or it was downloaded and printed.”

There was no way a student who could write a song like this would not have stood out. He would have been revealed through the countless assignment pieces and reports.

“None of those old farts at the school would have written it… Where did this guy come from?”

“It seems great even to you, right?”

“No need to say it. This is a really novel take. I don’t know how to express it.”

“Exactly. There’s a big chance the person who wrote this doesn’t go to our school. Doesn’t it seem most likely that someone found this on the internet somewhere?”

“To write such an innovative song and just put on the internet? Then that means this person is nameless…..”

“Is Marco Giavelli still at your school? The principal conductor of the San Francisco Philharmonic.”

“Oh, right. That man. He doesn’t come out to the school. He completely retired.”

“Can you get in contact with him? Try showing it to him. Let’s see what he thinks of it.”

“Why do we need to check that. You can tell it’s a work of art just by looking at it.”

“Stop playing around. You don’t know this industry? Don’t you know it doesn’t matter if nameless people like us like it?”

 

A society where the people with authority make evaluations and where that is the only opinion that counts. If this music were to be assessed as a work of art by Maestro Marco Giavelli, who was once one of the best conductors, there would be no need to question it any longer.

“Alright, that would be better. And who knows? He might know who the composer is. Or it might be easy to find out who it is through his connections.”

“I’ll keep looking too, so call me right away if you find anything out.”

Um Ki Jun was still so excited after hanging up with Park Jin Kuk that he was no longer sleepy.

***

Park Jin Kuk used what little money he had to buy a box of high quality Cuban cigars, and went to Marco Giavelli’s mansion. When he was serving as professor, Park Jin Kuk had come face-to-face with him nearly everyday, but it had become rare since he retired.

He prepared the cigars that Marco Giavelli likes because he felt sorry to go looking for him with a favor instead of just visiting.

Marco Giavelli greeted his former student with a friendliness that made it feel as though they had seen each other the day before, and laughed when Park Jin Hyuk gave him the cigars.

“You still remember what I like?”

“I’m sorry, I should have come to visit more often.”

“It’s okay. When you get old, there are more times when it becomes bothersome for visitors to come. All you have to do is occasionally check on me to make sure I’m still alive. Ho ho.”

 

After chatting for a bit, Park Jin Kuk slowly handed the score over to him.

“Maestro, can you take a look at this?”

“What is this? Did you compose this?”

“No. I would like to hear what you think about it once you take a look.”

Marco Giavelli lit a cigar and after taking a deep puff, he relished the fragrance and started to read the score.

Before he had even turned the first page, the cigar was getting to its end in the ashtray. He had forgotten he lit a cigar because he could not take his eyes off of the score.

Even the old man called a maestro was no different from Um Ki Jun or Park Jin Kuk. He sighed deeply and put the score down multiple times, and put the score down after almost an hour.

“What do you think? Maestro, is this a song you know?”

Park Jin Kuk saw that he had put the score down and spoke carefully.

“This… Who wrote this kind of song…..”

Maestro Giavelli’s stammering indicated that it was indeed his first time seeing the song.

“I don’t know either. It came into my hands by chance. We are looking for the composer now.”

Marco Giavelli suddenly stood up from his chair and poured two glasses of wine from his refrigerator.

“Have a drink. I must have one because my hands are shaking so much.”

Park Jin Kuk took the glass and felt delighted inside. He had not seen it wrong. This work is a masterpiece.

“Maestro, I would like to hear your honest assessment of this piece.”

“But why do you only have the 1st score? Is it incomplete?”

“We are checking that as well. I just have the score by chance.”

 

“I didn’t know I would get to see such a masterpiece before I die.”

The first assessment is ‘masterpiece’. This is praise beyond expectations.

“This song is… hm… How should I say it? Right. Should I say it opened a new door in music?”

“A new door?”

“Yes. In the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic eras, music was a tool to deliver a beautiful emotion to the listener. As we came to the present time, it gained a role in delivering that emotion. Loneliness, sadness. Anger. Happiness, et cetera. It also throws philosophical messages as well.”

Marco took a sip of his wine.

“But this song is showing that now, music can relay senses.”

“You say senses?”

“Yes. This song is relaying physical pain. Not the emotion of pain, but the pain itself.”

When we watch a movie with a scene where someone is getting beat up or being tortured, our bodies flinch. We are imagining that pain. Contemporary music exists to transmit that imagination.

To follow the assessment, this music has the power to allow for an indirect experience.

“Didn’t you have a hard time looking at this score?”

“It was hard. It’s just a 10-minute song, but it took an hour to read through all of it. It was painful to keep turning the pages.”

“That’s it right there. With just the music, you have the thought that someone is hitting you – no. No it’s not a thought. No, it’s at the level where your brain sends the signal that you are being beaten. That’s what I mean when I say it relays senses.”

Marco Giavelli lit the cigar again and closed his eyes to enjoy it without speaking.

Park Jin Kuk quietly waited to see what else he would say, and heard something unexpected.

“Hm… What a waste.”

“Excuse me? What are you saying is a waste…..?”

“I was wondering if it would be possible to hear this song in real life.”

“Don’t worry about it, maestro. We’re going to find the composer and we’ll get the rest of the scores.”

 

The maestro waved his hand at Park Jin Kuk’s words.

“That’s not what I meant. I was saying that it might be impossible to perform this song.”

“Ah…..”

That is when Park Jin Kuk understood what he meant when he said that he might not be able to hear the song.

“Who would perform this? What orchestra can perform this? Will the members and conductor be able to handle the pain they have to experience while they perform? It’s already this difficult to imagine it while reading the score. And that’s just the 1st score. But until the 4th? I don’t think I’d be able to do it.”

Marco Giavelli shook his head.

“Say that someone could perform it. How many audiences do you think there will be for this kind of music?”

Park Jin Kuk drank his wine in one gulp, but his frustration did not go away. He had not considered the audience.

“For the people who are able to understand the music, it’ll be too hard for them to listen to it. For the people who can’t understand, it’ll just be noise. There are only a few people who can listen to this. Is there a planner who would put this on stage?”

It is a masterpiece, but a performance may be impossible. Who is the person who created this kind of dilemma?

“Even so, I want to meet this composer no matter what. Is it okay for me to show this score to my friends? There could be someone who knows whose work this is.”

“Of course. That’s actually what I wanted to ask of you.”

Park Jin Kuk was satisfied with hearing Maestro Giavelli’s evaluation, but was kept repeating his gratefulness that he would be willing to help in the search for the composer.

As soon as Park Jin Kuk came out of Marco Giavelli’s home, he called Um Ki Jun to tell him what happened.

“Ki Jun, we were right. The Maestro didn’t hold back on compliments. He liked it more than we did.”

“Of course. It’s a work of art in anyone’s eyes. Except to the old farts at our school.”

The two men relaxed after confirming the work’s value. It was up to here. Now they just have the difficult job of finding the person who made the song.

“Ki Jun, try checking with the professors too.”

“Are you stupid? You’re saying that because you don’t know? I’m dead the day I bring up the word ‘modernism’.”

“Just ask them slightly. Don’t show them the score.”


	98. Chapter 98

Volume 3 / Chapter 98

TL: LightNovelCafe

A few professors were eating lunch in the cafeteria with Professor Ju Yong Tae in the center when Um Ki Jun greeted them and joined.

People let their guards down the most while eating. Um Ki Jun did not lose his chance and spoke in passing,

“I saw some kids interested in contemporary music these days…..”

“Who? Among the students? Could that happen? They’re all pretty similar. How could kids who stumble even with Debussy be interested in contemporary music?”

Professor Ju Yong Tae added to one professor’s response pushing off Um Ki Jun’s words lightly,

“Music isn’t the object of criticism and theory. It’s a tool for emotion. Contemporary music plays the same role as a discussion, throwing a question. It can be used for research, but it’s unreasonable to treat it as music itself.”

 

The most old-fashioned Professor Ju dismissed everything with his continuing words,

“Um. I told you, didn’t I? Don’t look in that direction. We’re overwhelmed just by trying to understand Bach, Beethoven, and Marlowe.”

“Oy, Professor. Of course. My taste isn’t in that direction either. I just thought I heard something like that, so I was wondering if you might have given the students an assignment.”

“That kind of assignment would be fitting for a master’s course. Wait a second… Um, you’re a little suspicious.”

“Ha ha. Surely not. The subject of my Ph.D. thesis is Sibelius.”

The reaction they had expected. Um Ki Jun thought that there would be unnecessary misunderstandings if they kept discussing it, and quickly stopped. He decided it would be faster for Park Jin Kuk to do the search, and quit looking for the composer inside the school.

 

Jun Hyuk went to the recording studio after getting a call from Jo Hyung Joong. The recording studio was reminiscent of a garbage dump when it greeted Jun Hyuk. The stairs going down to the basement had a few empty dishes from Chinese take-out and when he opened the door to go in, the first thing he saw was the sound engineer asleep on the sofa.

Energy drinks and canned coffees were rolling around near the sofa and throughout the recording studio.

“Oh Jun Hyuk, you’re here.”

“Yes. You look… You look like you haven’t even gone home in a few days.”

“Huh? Ah, that’s all of us. We used to do this all the time, but to be honest, it’s been easier these days because people only work on singles. I feel like I’m really working for the first time in a while. It’s been years since I’ve had to work on 10 songs at the same time.”

 

He looked so tired that his chubby face had become gaunt, but he looked happy. He is creating real music, not the kind that does not even cover the basics unless it was touched up with equipment, with its mechanical effects and a simple hook inserted repetitively.

In order to receive the evaluation that it is an outstanding album, Jo Hyung Joong did not permit even the smallest mistakes and demanded perfection. Thanks to this, the staff he worked with were becoming zombies.

“Jun Hyuk, listen to this first. It’s the guitar you’ll record. Let’s talk after you listen to all of it.”

Jun Hyuk took the CD from Jo Hyung Joong and listened to a total of 6 guitar instrumentals through headphones. An acoustic guitar melody rang through his head and he became lost in the music. Jun Hyuk listened to it a few times before taking the headphones off.

“Teacher. This guitar… Who performed it?”

“It’s killer, right?”

“Yes. Who did it?”

“Teacher Ham Chun Suk. Do you know who he is?”

“No, I’m hearing the name for the first time.”

“I bet. The musical area he works in is a little different.”

Ham Chun Suk.

The best acoustic guitar session man from 1990 until now.

When the best singers in the country needed an acoustic guitar, they always went looking for him. They looked for him even when they did not need an acoustic guitar to see if their song might be better with an acoustic guitar. It is common to see his name in albums that sold well in the country.

 

It is also a fun fact that this expert in the guitar who sees it as a tool to relay emotion instead of technique, majored in singing.

“But why is 6 songs it?”

“Since one song is heavy metal, I’m going to leave it entirely up to you, and I arranged the other 3 songs without the guitar. And you know about the last song. We’re going to end with a piano instrumental.”

“Ah, I see. But…..”

“Why? Is there something you don’t like?”

“No. It’s just that of these, there are 2 songs that are so good I don’t think I’ll need to play them again. Even if I play them again, I don’t think they’ll come out better than this.”

“What? Only 2 songs? Then you’re saying you’ll modify the other 4 songs? I’m pretty sure you’re the only person in our country who listened to Teacher Ham Chun Sung’s guitar and said there’s something to fix. Ha ha.”

After laughing for a bit, Jo Hyung Joong’s eyes sparked.

His name often appears in movies. He is great who gets paid just for listening to music and saying, “This doesn’t need the guitar. It’s good just like this.”

The fact that he could find something lacking in the guitar of Ham Chun Sung who expresses the beauty in marginals. It is wonderful to see how he develops everyday.

“Then, should we start?”

The first song Jun Hyuk played in the recording booth was heavy metal. When he got to the middle, the sound engineer shook his head and tried to hit the stop button, but Jo Hyung Joong made a fuss.

“Hey! Why? What are you doing?”

“It seems like the BPM went over 170. We arranged this to 150.”

Jo Hyung Joong lightly hit the back of the sound engineer’s head.

 

“Why are you being like this when you’ve been doing this for so long? It’s 150.”

“Excuse me? Isn’t the guitar acting completely on its own? I think 170 is pretty low.”

“Are you going to keep doing this work? Don’t you think you have to change this now? Man, it’s not fast just grand. It’s okay for a lay person to make that mistake, but you’re a professional. How is it okay for you to not be able to tell the difference? And… you don’t know that kid? He has a metronome embedded in his head.”

When Jun Hyuk came out of the booth, the sound engineer could not look him in the eye and Jo Hyung Joong had a satisfied smile.

“Is it too hard?”

“Huh? Oh, no. It’s hard but light. It’s good. Let’s use this the way it is for now… We can talk about it again if there’s something to change in the completed song.”

When the following guitar and piano accompaniments were finished, Jo Hyung Joong could see a more matured Jun Hyuk.

Jun Hyuk showed him what was lacking in Ham Chun Suk’s guitar. He picked at the strings slowly, but he kept the flow going without a single disconnected note. It was to the point where he thought it was a waste to use as an accompaniment. This alone is excellent independent music.

Today is a day full of regret for Jo Hyung Joong. It is the last day is he able to listen to Jun Hyuk’s music alongside him. He did not know how he would hear Jun Hyuk’s music going forward, but it would only be possible through a media like a CD.

Studying abroad also meant that he was going into the world of classical, farther away from popular music.

It could be that he is embarking on his own path. There is someone who assessed his Symphony No. 1 as nothing more than noise. However, Jo Hyung Joong was sure that if he received formal education and associated himself with others including the greats, there would be someone who appreciates his music.

“Jun Hyuk, the kids are going to start coming in to sing tomorrow. What do you want to do? Do you want to come and watch?”

“No. I’ll listen to it once it’s all over.”

“Alright. I guess there’s no real reason to remember their faces. Their sounds will remain.”

Once Jun Hyuk left the recording studio, Jo Hyung Joong began to bother the staff again.

“Don’t even dream about the sauna until Jun Hyuk’s guitar is complete.”


	99. Chapter 99

Volume 3 / Chapter 99

TL: LightNovelCafe

Pianist Go Sae Won and Yoon Kwang Hun spread out a list of music schools and discussed it for days. Yoon Kwang Hun wanted new and innovative music over classical, and was already leaning towards America. Go Sae Won had consistently pushed for Europe, but had to give up at Jun Hyuk’s input.

“I can barely speak English, so when do I learn French, German, or Italian? Let’s just go with America.”

After the study abroad location was decided, Jun Hyuk’s hardships began.

“Sir.”

“…..”

“Sir… Ah. English.”

Jun Hyuk started with a sigh again. After they decided on studying abroad, Yoon Kwang Hun made a rule that they could only speak in English, and glared without responding if he spoke in Korean.

He had learned English from Yoon Kwang Hun every day for 2 years and had practiced free speech for an hour each day. He realized, however, that the English he had studied over 2 years were just eye-level classes. When Yoon Kwang Hun spoke proper English quickly, Jun Hyuk could not understand a single word.

 

“American or western kids will speak much faster and their pronunciation will be more exact. I’m pretty sure you’ll have to at least be able to listen to me to barely understand them.”

Jun Hyuk buried himself in English for 24 hours a day at Yoon Kwang Hun’s threat. Studying English was harder and more boring than studying for his license exam. But it had to be done.

***

While Jo Hyung Joong and Yoon Jung Su were busy working on the album, Jun Hyuk was so excited he could not sleep. He would be going to America for a month. Because of the nerves he had from going abroad for the first time, he stayed up all night packing and unpacking his bag before going to the airport early in the morning.

When they arrived at the airport, there were already a lot of reporters waiting for them. Jo Hyung Joong had let his trip to America slip because it would become great marketing.

“Have you decided on a school?”

“How many years will you be abroad for?”

“Are you completely folding your activities in Korea now?”

“Piano or composition – which major have you chosen?”

 

In the midst of flashes and questions, Lawyer Baek Seung Ho stepped forward.

“There are a lot of questions, but we only have one answer. All we are doing is looking into schools. He will be interviewing with various schools and we do not yet know the result. Wherever he goes, it will be the best choice for Jun Hyuk.”

Yoon Kwang Hun and Jun Hyuk completed a simple interview and rushed their departure procedures.

“Sir, we’re not standing in line?”

“No, we’re in first class.”

“First?”

As it was Jun Hyuk’s first time going abroad and being at an airport, his eyes kept flitting back and forth and Baek Seung Ho laughed while saying,

“It’s the area with the best seats on the plane. It’s my gift to you. Can a top star be uncomfortable in economy?”

 

Baek Seung Ho watched the two disappear through the gates and turned around.

Once they retrieved their boarding passes and got through immigration, many people were taking peeks at Jun Hyuk and gathered to ask for signatures and photographs.

“Let’s hurry up and go. There’s a separate lounge for first class, so we can wait there.”

Yoon Kwang Hun led Jun Hyuk by the hand and quietly ran to the lounge where they could wait until their departure time. The lounge for first class passengers was full of various drinks and snacks, so Jun Hyuk did not sit for a moment and was busy filling his stomach.

Jun Hyuk’s jaw dropped at the sight of the first class area, which he had only ever heard of. It looked like there was a small room screened off inside the plane.

“Don’t look around like that like it’s a different world. From now on, you’ll only ride first class. You might even be able to buy a private plane.”

Yoon Kwang Hun believed that the day would come.

After looking around for a while, Jun Hyuk fell asleep quickly because he had spent the previous night awake.

When Jun Hyuk took his first step in America, the sudden change in scenery and environment made him look on in wonder like when he had first seen the Ducati.

For one month, Yoon Kwang Hun took Jun Hyuk to all of the schools he had received acceptance letters from. Jun Hyuk was more excited because it felt like he was on vacation with Yoon Kwang Hun for the first time than he was that they were looking into schools.

 

Music schools in America are generally divided to the conservatory, geared towards practicality, and university which includes the liberal arts. The audition process for the two schools is similar, but because there is a great difference in the subjects that must be completed after entering, students dreaming of becoming professional performers prefer conservatories.

Julliard is a ‘conservatory’ where world-renowned Korean musicians like Jung Kyung Hwa, Jung Myung Hwa, Jung Myung Hun, Sara Jang, Kang Dong Suk, and Shin Young Ok passed through.

On the other hand, universities like Yale University, USC, and UCLA are basically schools of music.

The two started in Boston at Berkley and traveled to Pia Curtis in Philadelphia and Cleveland University School of Music in Ohio. Before going to their last destination, New York, Yoon Kwang Hun went to New Orleans, the hometown of jazz.

They went to clubs every night to enjoy the zest of improv performances and even rented a car to ride Highway 61, the so-called road of rock and roll.

This highway running through the middle of America goes to Beale Street in Memphis . The studio that Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis stood in. They touched on places like Stax Records, the Holy Land of soul music, and visited various places that gave birth to the music Jun Hyuk had heard in albums. And lastly, they went to New York which is basically Yoon Kwang Hun’s second home.

Proving that New York is the center for American culture, it holds Julliard, the Manhattan Conservatory, Mannes School of Music, and Eastman School of Music.

[TN: Sorry for the interruption but my translations are being stolen by a certain website. I wanted to put this in here to see if those idiots will catch this or copy paste this exactly. All you readers, this novel translation is from lightnovelcafe.com just fyi]

 

When Yoon Kwang Hun came out of the airport in New York, he quickly caught a taxi into Manhattan.

New York may as well have been his 2nd hometown. He organized his luggage at the hotel in Manhattan and took Jun Hyuk out to start sightseeing. Recalling his 3 years as an MBA and 5 years on Wall Street, he told Jun Hyuk about his memories.

They ended their travels while admiring a Broadway musical and visited the final school of music.

Clayton-Hoffman Institute of Music is the representative school of music in New York and New Jersey. It is usually called the CH School of Music.

When Clayton founded the school in 1929, its doors opened in Philadelphia. After World War II however, conglomerate Hoffman took over and moved it to New York with his belief that New York is the center for American culture.

Clayton-Hoffman in New York is far from the image people think of when imagining an American university of a beautiful campus and old buildings. CH School of Music is a 21-floor luxury building in the middle of New Jersey.

If it were not for the two piano statues decorating the building entrance, people would think that it is just a regular office building.

However, there was no damage to Clayton’s pursuit of creating only the best music. There were only 240 undergraduates, 70 graduate students, and the student-professor ratio was 5:1. In other words, there were over 60 professors.

Anyone who wanted to could reside in the dormitories renovated like a hotel on the top floors of the building, and there were 5 theaters just for orchestra performances. Beyond that, there were over 10 large and small music halls and studios capable of recording.

With the motto ‘Learn as you perform’, there were concerts every night in these music halls with professors and students. These were also lessons reflected in the students’ grades.

Students majoring in claviers, commanding, and composition could each receive a Steinway grand piano.

The greatest perk was that there is no tuition. They just received a small fee from the students living in the dormitories. Instead, they went through the applicants and only accepted the people who have been called a genius once or twice, so the acceptance ratio exceeded 170:1. It was so difficult that even runner-ups in famous competitions were not guaranteed entry.

It was a place where all of the geniuses of the world were gathered.


	100. Chapter 100

Volume 3 / Chapter 100

TL: LightNovelCafe

Jun Hyuk was wondering why they were going into a place that looked like an office building instead of a college campus as they walked inside when his eyes widened.

In the building lobby, students were hanging out in an area with thick carpeting and a middle-aged woman wearing a suit greeted the two.

She happily welcomed them and led them to the meeting room for the interview.

“We finally meet.”

“Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Yoon Kwang Hun. You can just call me Yoon.”

“Is this the Mr. Jang?”

“Yes, I’m Jang Jun Hyuk.”

Jun Hyuk awkwardly took the hand that the interviewer held out.

“Alright, then shall we start the interview?”

Three professors sat with gentle smiles and started asking questions while the two tried to calm their nerves. Unless there was a special case, he would be accepted no matter what. There was no need to be so worried.

“First, I’ll tell you something very important. Our university really wants Mr. Jang’s admission to the school, but we will make the final decision with the interview. This means that you may not accepted.”

“Yes, of course.”

If someone goes against the school’s values, even Mozart would not be admitted. To these people, musical talent was a given and they tried to take into acount even the person’s personality.

“First, we went through the music files and essay you sent thoroughly. It seems Mr. Jang has never attended school. Is that right?”

“Yes, that is the truth.”

Why were they mentioning the fact that he did not receive a basic education instead of in music? The first interviewer’s negative question stayed on Yoon Kwang Hun’s mind.

“In the 2 years that Mr. Yoon cared for Mr. Jang as a custodian, what did you teach him?”

 

“English and reading music scores. I also made it so that he could freely listen to and play music.”

“Can I ask why?”

“It isn’t a talent I could do anything about.”

Yoon Kwang Hun put emphasis on ‘talent’. It is a talent that he is proud of.

“We know that fully well. Pianist Hye Jin Jeon, Sae Won Go, and Maestro Hwang. We saw their letters of recommendation as well. Madam Jeon’s letter was especially poignant no matter how many times we read it. It was quite convincing. I am asking why you didn’t give him general education.”

For a moment, Yoon Kwang Hun could not think of a response. Why had he not thought of sending Jun Hyuk to school? He was surprised, but he remembered that it had been an environment where that was entirely plausible.

 

“That’s because Jang’s musical talent was so outstanding. I think I decided that he did not need to do anything outside of music… I could not send a 15 year old boy to an elementary school.”

Yoon Kwang Hun’s response could be accepted as a difference in the educational system, but the interviewers continued to shake their heads.

“Then how is his reading? How many books has he read until now?”

“Books?”

“Yes. Whether it be novels, historical books, et cetera.”

“…..”

He could not give an answer. Jun Hyuk learned hangul late and the only text he had read were stories concerning musicians on the internet.

“Hm… Can we understand this to mean that Mr. Jang has the knowledge of an elementary school student?”

 

They made the judgment that Jun Hyuk did not have knowledge beyond music while Yoon Kwang Hun hesitated.

“I believe that is too severe of a judgment.”

“I wonder if it is. I don’t think he’ll have understanding of a single novel, a science experiment, history or culture… I don’t think it would be lacking to say that he does not even have an elementary school level knowledge.”

If he were talking about the intellectual level, he would be better than an elementary school student, but he could not deny it when discussing knowledge.

The three interviewers spoke with each other in low voices and made their final decision.

“Our conditions for admission are as follows. He needs to receive separate education in subjects outside of music for 3 hours every day and if he fails in that curriculum, he will be left back. I’m saying that he would not be able to graduate.”

“3 hours each day?”

“Yes. If we think that he has reached the average education level of a high school graduate, we will end those classes. This means that he needs to receive a general education and profession musical training at the same time. We believe that if he receives this education, his English will also improve.”

Just then, an interviewer who had been quiet added to this as if he had been forgetting something,

“Oh, language is also added. English is a basic, but we plan to teach him Italian, German, or French – one of his choosing. Most of the students in this school are fluent in at least one European language.”

 

If they made the wrong move, he could end up spending more time in general studies more than in working with music.

“Jang’s application says that he would like to major in piano, composition, and commanding, but will he be able to keep up with that amount of work??

“He will be able to handle it.”

He did not know about anything else, but Yoon Kwang Hun was confident that he could make it so they could not stop talking if it were about music.

“We admit that Jang’s talent is extraordinary, but this school is full of students with amazing talent. Our school holds classes with these talented students as a benchmark. That is how high the standard is. It won’t be easy.”

Jun Hyuk studied English ardently, but he was not at a level where he could understand the interview perfectly. However, he had fully understood that he would need to dedicate 3 hours everyday to general studies and learn another language.

His hardened face already showed that he did not have the confidence to do this. Of the various schools he had interviewed with, this was the only place with such strong requirements, so he was thinking of the other schools that had said that all he had to do was music.

However, Yoon Kwang Hun felt like he needed to make the decision at this moment. What this school was asking for is neither unreasonable nor deterring. He was actually disappointed in himself for not thinking of paying attention to Jun Hyuk’s education outside of music.

“These are the conditions for admission. And now our questions are for Mr. Jang.”

The interviewer smiled at a tense Jun Hyuk to make him comfortable as he spoke,

“What is music to you?”

It was easy English, so Jun Hyuk fully understood it and answered without hesitation,

“It is making the sounds of the world that disappear within moments, last forever.”

“Making sounds last forever…..”

All of the interviewers mumbled to themselves at Jun Hyuk’s response. Then Jun Hyuk started to speak again,

“Oh, and one more thing. It’s the best way to relay someone’s feelings.”

 

Jun Hyuk added what he had felt while participating in the audition program.

This professors of this school had already seen plenty in Jun Hyuk’s music. Since they already saw his flash of talent in his piano and scores, they did not need him to go through the audition that all of the other participants needed to pass.

It could be that the interviewer’s question to Jun Hyuk was just out of personal curiosity.

“I see. Hm… When can you start participating in classes?”

It meant that he had been accepted.

“He can start with the fall semester. Jun Hyuk is working on his record in Korea at the moment. It will be released before the fall semester.”

“A record? Oh, we have high expectations. Can I ask for a copy once it’s released?”

“Of course. I’ll send it to you.”

“Thank you. And what do you intend to do for living arrangements? Are you thinking of having a separate residence?”

“No, we would like to go in the dormitories. As you know, he hasn’t had a school life, so he would like to make a lot of friends.

“That is an excellent choice.”

History is made at night and Clayton School of Music is no exception to this.

When hot-blooded youths from all over the world are gathered in one place, there is no reason for them to quietly sleep at night. They party with alcohol and music every night.

In the morning, someone is always lost in thought because they cannot remember the song they played while drunk the night before. This also means that the song was good enough for them to want to remember it. Spending time with these people would give him more opportunities to find such inspiration.

With this, it was decided that Jun Hyuk would become independent in the fall semester.


End file.
